ARCATA — Learning a lesson from its own mistakes, Humboldt State took advantage of Cal State San Bernardino's six errors to claim a 5-1 win and stay alive at the NCAA Division II West Region Softball Championships on Friday.

The Lumberjacks (50-18), who committed two costly errors of their own in falling to the same Coyotes in their tournament opener, used CSUSB's miscues to their advantage with timely hitting and heads-up decisions on the basepaths. Their efforts supported a strong outing by starting pitcher Lizzy Prescott, who scattered four hits, walking one batter and striking out nine to improve her record to 41-11.

Humboldt State, the tournament hosts and No. 1 seed, advanced to the 11 a.m. Saturday game against CSU Dominguez Hills. The winner of that game faces unbeaten Western Oregon at 1:30 p.m., a team that can claim the title with one more win. If WOU should fall in the 1:30 game, a Sunday game would decide which team advances to the national tournament in Houston, Texas.

Squeezing across runs through sacrifices, taking the extra base on a throw, and making the most of virtually every opportunity, the Lumberjacks forged a 4-0 lead by the fifth inning. The first run came across more traditionally, though a passed ball moved Franny West into scoring position before Chrissy Motzny's two-out double sent her home.

Two Coyotes errors allowed Natalie Galletly to score in the fourth inning, and the Jacks scored twice in the fifth without a hit when they took advantage of two more errors, two unsuccessful fielder's choices, and Nikki Ketteringham's suicide squeeze bunt.

The final tally came in the sixth when Ashley Oltjenbruns led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Geneva Perrine's sacrifice fly to deep center field.

Cal State San Bernardino managed its only run in the fifth inning when Jordan Dahl singled home Jacquelyn Hotzclaw, who had doubled to start the inning. Another chance came in the sixth when Nicole Camarena led off with a deep drive to left, but Ketteringham made the catch with her back against the fence to save a run.

Humboldt State 5, CSU San Bernardino 1 (May 09, 2008 at Arcata, Calif.)
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Humboldt State...... 010 121 0 -  5  3  1      (50-18)
CSU San Bernardino.. 000 010 0 -  1  4  6      (36-31-1)
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Pitchers: Humboldt State - PRESCOTT,Lizzy. CSU San Bernardino - LEE, Cassidy; SHISLER, Debbie(3)
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Win-PRESCOTT,Lizzy(41-11)  Loss-SHISLER, Debbie(7-7)  T-2:03  A-243
Weather: Sunny