Fortuna tops Ferndale 13-3, advances in Charles Lakin Tournament
Fortuna stayed alive in its title defense by routing Ferndale 13-3 in five innings, then turned the bracket toward South Fork and Eureka.
Defending champion Fortuna kept its Charles Lakin Tournament title defense alive by overwhelming Ferndale 13-3 in five innings, a result that sent the Huskies on to the next round and ended the Wildcats’ season.
The opening-round win was decisive from the start. Fortuna, seeded No. 2 from the Big 5 in the H-DNL softball bracket, took control against No. 3 Little 4 seed Ferndale and never let the game drift into doubt before the mercy-rule finish. Six Ferndale errors helped break the game open, and the final margin showed how quickly postseason softball can turn into a survival test for one Humboldt County program and a season-ender for another.
The tournament began Tuesday, May 12, with softball played at the Arcata Sports Complex and baseball across town at the Arcata Ball Park. Fortuna’s path through the bracket immediately raised the stakes, because the Huskies were not just trying to advance, they were trying to defend the championship they won a year earlier after waiting eight seasons to reclaim the trophy. In 2025, Fortuna erased a 3-0 deficit and beat McKinleyville 6-4 in the final, ending that long drought.
Against Ferndale, Addie Collenberg handled the circle for Fortuna and worked all seven innings, while Olivia Hayes gave the Huskies steady production at the plate. Hayes reached base in all four of her plate appearances, finishing with four runs, one double and one RBI as Fortuna built a margin Ferndale could not answer. The result pushed the Huskies deeper into the bracket and left the Wildcats with no more games to play.
The bracket moved immediately into higher pressure. HumboldtSports’ updated tournament board listed Fortuna beating South Fork 13-12 in Thursday’s semifinal, a one-run game that underscored how much tighter the road became after the opener. That same bracket showed Fortuna meeting Eureka in Friday’s championship game, meaning the Huskies’ opening surge over Ferndale was only the first step in a fast-moving run through one of Humboldt County’s most competitive spring tournaments.
For Ferndale, the loss marked the end of a local rivalry season that never made it to the final weekend. For Fortuna, it reinforced a familiar message around the county: the Huskies were still the team to beat, still alive, and still in position to extend their hold on the Charles Lakin stage.
Know something we missed? Have a correction or additional information?
Submit a Tip
