Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Eureka pitcher Kira Morris

By Ray Hamill — The Eureka girls lost their North Coast Section Division-3 final by the narrowest margin possible on Friday, falling 1-0 to San Rafael in an entertaining and competitive championship showdown.

The game was a pitchers’ duel with just five hits all day between the two teams, with the Marin County girls scoring the only run of the game in the top of the fourth inning and holding on down the stretch.

“We battled with them,” Eureka head coach Robin Johnson said. “It was a great game. We just made some mistakes and they capitalized on our mistakes.”

It was the first loss of the season for Eureka junior ace Kira Morris, who gave up just three hits and struck out eight in another strong performance, as the Loggers closed out with a very impressive record of 26-2.

“She did great,” Johnson said.

Unfortunately, the Loggers managed just two hits all game with Kaitlin Giacone breaking up San Rafael pitcher Thomara Drummer’s no-hitter in the bottom of the fifth.

Maeghan Hampton would add a second Eureka hit in the sixth, but the Loggers were unable to take advantage of either of them.

Despite the loss, the head coach was proud of her team’s performance.

“We didn’t give up,” she said. “We battled all the way through the end and gave it our all.”

McKenna Beach

After winning a Big 5 championship and a Charlie Lakin Tournament title and making it to the NCS decider, the 2022 season will certainly be remembered as a very successful one for the team despite Friday’s defeat.

“Of course you want to win, but we have no reason to hang our heads,” Johnson said. “It was a great season.”