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Illinois Valley graduate pitches Humboldt to title By GREG STILES Two years ago Jessame Kendall was a forgotten pitcher in an out-of-the-way little town in Southern Oregon. Today she's on top of her world, having pitched Humboldt State University to its first NCAA Division II softball title. Kendall grew up in Cave Junction, where she led Illinois Valley to the Class 3A semifinals as a senior in 1997. She was good enough to be offered a scholarship to Utah State. Then late in the spring, the Utah State coach resigned. "We only had a verbal agreement," Kendall says. "I would've had to start over with a new coach." There aren't a whole lot of coaches willing to beat a path to Cave Junction. Ultimately, that was a good thing for Humboldt State coach Frank Cheek. "People wouldn't come to visit me in high school," she says, "because I was so far away." Then IV coach Greg Nygren stumbled across the answer reading a magazine. "He was reading that Humboldt State was ranked in the (Division II) top 10," Kendall recalls. "I actually hadn't heard of the school. I went down there, liked the coach and he sold his team well." Plus, it was only 2 1/2 hours from home. By the middle of her freshman season, Kendall was the Lumberjacks' No. 1 pitcher and she remained Humboldt's ace this year. The sophomore left-hander set a school record for victories with a 33-3 mark, while improving her own school standard with 210 strikeouts in 240 1/3 innings. Her 0.87 earned-run average was good enough to gain second-team National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America honors. She was also named Pacific West Conference pitcher of the year. The crowning achievement, however, came last week in Salem, Va., when she chalked up four of her team's five wins in the Division II tournament. Humboldt defeated Nebraska-Kearney, 7-2, in Sunday's title game. Kendall entered the finale in the bottom of the first inning with a 1-0 lead after starter B.J. Helfrich of Pleasanton, Calif., walked Nebraska-Kearney's leadoff hitter on four pitches. "She had beaten them earlier in the week, but (Cheek) was really quick to pull her out," Kendall says. "He didn't want to let them start a rally." Kendall got two quick outs. "Then (Holly Walker) roped a home run off me." But it didn't take long for the Lumberjacks to regain the lead, scoring three times in both the second and third innings. Kendall finished with a four-hitter and six strikeouts. "I didn't know girls could hit the ball so far," Kendall says. "One wrong move and it's gone." Kendall batted just 17 times because of back trouble this season. But she made the first hit of her two-year career count. Humboldt trailed Ferris State of Big Rapids, Mich., 1-0 after six innings. Kendall doubled down the right-field line to start the seventh and scored one out later on a sacrifice fly. The Lumberjacks scored the winning run later in the inning. The Lumberjacks, who entered the tourney ranked No. 4, went on to beat Alabama-Huntsville, 4-2; Nebraska-Kearney, 3-1; and No. 1-ranked Kennesaw State, 2-1, to reach the championship round. "I'm going to take two weeks off to rest and then start throwing again," Kendall says. "We did it once, but just to say we did it isn't good enough for me." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.