STOCKTON — Only a year ago, Humboldt State found itself sitting and watching after being eliminated in two games at the California Collegiate Athletic Association Softball Championships. A week later at the NCAA West Region Championships, the Jacks bounced back, starting their successful run to a national title.

After dropping out of the 2009 CCAA Championships with an 8-0 loss to UC San Diego on Friday, the Lumberjacks find themselves in a similar position. They'll have to wait until late Sunday or early Monday to find out who they'll be playing and if they will be hosting this year's regional tournament.

"We have six seniors who have to live with this performance, but they have a chance to redeem themselves next week (at the regional tournament),” HSU head coach Frank Cheek said. “We'll go home and start preparing for the games the remain. We're defending champions and still have a lot to play for."

Friday's game, played in intermittent rain showers, got away from the Jacks in the fourth inning when UC San Diego scored three runs off starting and losing pitcher Gracie Perez, who dropped to 18-7 on the season. That's all that Tritons' starter Camille Gaito needed to finish off a three-hitter, improving her own record to 10-3.

In the decisive inning, Jenni Babib and Alison May reached base with singles before Amanda Eliades delivered the big blow, a double in the left-center gap that scored both runners. Pinch-running for Eliades, Lyndsay Gaylord came home on Lauren Chastain's single through the right side to give UCSD the 3-0 lead.

Jenna Anderson relieved Perez in the fifth inning, hurting herself with a walk before giving up a bunt single. Anderson retired the next hitter on an infield fly before the Tritons put together four consecutive singles, plating four runs to establish a 7-0 lead.

The Jacks' third pitcher of the day, freshman Nichole Parada, experienced the same lack off success after relieving in the sixth, allowing the Tritons to load the bases with three straight singles. The next batter, Nicole Saari, grounded to second, but Caitlin Klug's throw to the plate sailed high, allowing Kristyn Lesovsky to score the eighth run and end the game via the mercy rule.

Along with the pitching woes, minimal offense was the Jacks' undoing Friday. Lindsay Warren, Felicia Vivieros and Ashley Oltjenbruns managed the only HSU hits off the day, all singles. Seeded No. 1 in the west heading into the CCAA Tournament, HSU enters the NCAA postseason with a 37-18 record.