Eureka girls take care of business, secure outright championship

By barstoolfanatics on May 10, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Submitted photo – The Eureka girls celebrate their Big 5 championship on Tuesday.

The seniors have played a key role all season long for the Eureka Loggers, and that continued to be the case on Tuesday as they closed out league play with two more wins at Arcata and clinched the Big 5 championship outright.

The Loggers won 5-1 and 11-1 and improved to 11-1 in league play, while stretching their winning streak to 13 straight.

The No. 5 team in the entire North Coast Section, according to MaxPreps, has certainly played like it in the Big 5 for the past few weeks, and the team’s two seniors — McKenna Beach and Payton Goodman — have both been pivotal.

Beach looked like a determined player on Tuesday and wasn’t about to allow any late letdown for a team that had clinched at least a share of the league crown before the league finale doubleheader.

The senior catcher finished 4-for-4 with two triples and three RBIs in game one, and capped an outstanding day by going 3-for-3 with two doubles in the nightcap.

On senior day, she reached base eight times over the two games.

Goodman also had a good day and finished 2-for-4 in game two, while also making some key plays at second base.

The ever-dangerous Kira Morris also had a big day.

The junior standout got the league-clinching win in the circle in game one, pitching a two-hitter, while striking out 10 and walking one.

She also was 1-for-3 with a sac fly in the win, before going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and four RBIs in the nightcap.

Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – McKenna Beach slides safely into third base after one of her triples on Tuesday.

Kira Morris

Sophomore Kaitlin Giacone also had a good day, both in the circle and at the plate.

Giacone pitched a complete-game five innings for the victory in game two, while striking out three and allowing eight hits.

The standout sophomore showed her mental toughness by getting out of some tight jams.

At the plate, Giacone finished 1-for-3 in game one and had a stolen base.

Junior shortstop Maeghan Hampton also continued to impress and finished 2-for-4 with a double in game two.

Arcata senior Corrina Cunningham

Eureka’s Zia Gee makes a play at first base on Tuesday.

The Loggers, who are the No. 1 rankled team in NCS Division III, are now 22-1 on the season and will open the Charlie Lakin Tournament on Thursday against either South Fork or Del Norte at 5 p.m. at the Arcata Sports Complex.

A young Tigers team showed plenty of improvement this season and closed out 4-13 overall and 1-11 in league play.