Submitted photos – Action from Saturday’s game at Arcata High.
The Fortuna girls did what they had to do on Saturday. Now they must play the waiting game.
With a doubleheader sweep over Arcata, the Huskies closed out the Big 5 with a record of 10-2.
However, with the Del Norte girls also sweeping a doubleheader against McKinleyville they improved to 10-1 with one game left and clinched at least a share of this year’s conference championship.
The Warriors can clinch the title outright with a victory at Eureka on Wednesday.
While the result of that game is out of the Huskies’ hands, they are guaranteed at least second in this year’s Big 5 and could very well get another crack at Del Norte in the upcoming Charles Lakin tournament.
On Saturday, they won 17-0 and 16-7.
The Fortuna bats came ready to play in game one and racked up 21 hits in the win, including eight doubles and a triple.
Isabel Sanchez, who is one of this week’s Humboldt Sports Athletes of the week, led the way and finished 5-for-5 with a triple and a double, while Hailee Thompson, Mariah Bravo, Faith Helms and Evalynn Little each had three hits, including two doubles by Little and Helms and one by Bravo.
Myra Hayes also had two hits in the win, while Olivia Hayes and Sophia Castillo each had a double.
Sanchez was equally impressive in the circle.
The standout junior, who is closing out the season in spectacular fashion and threw a perfect game at McKinleyville earlier in the week, allowed just two hits and one walk in a five-inning complete game and struck out 11.
Game two was a little closer.
Sanchez capped a near perfect day with three more hits and a walk, while Bravo and Olivia Hayes also had three hits, with Bravo driving in four runs.
Little, who doubled, added two hits, as did Sephora Machado, Helms and Castillo.
Myra Hayes also doubled.
With the two wins, the Huskies improved to 16-4 overall.
It was a disappointing day for the Tigers, who dropped to 4-7 in the Big 5 and 7-11 overall.
There were, however, some bright spots, including the play of senior Jenny Renteria, who has been one of her team’s most consistent bats in recent weeks.
Renteria went 3-for-6 over the two games with a double, while teammate Josie Cunningham reached base three times, hitting a pair of singles and also walking.
Abby Tyner was 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
“Game one was rough. We couldn’t really get going,” Arcata head coach Jason Miller said. “Game two, we made it more of a contest.”
Despite the two loses, the Arcata girls still have plenty to play and for and will have a big matchup to close out the regular season.
On Wednesday, the Tigers play McKinleyville with third place and qualification for the upcoming Lakin tournament on the line.
The Panthers are also 4-7 in the Big 5.
