TURLOCK – With wins of 8-0 and 5-2 over the Cal State Stanislaus Warriors, the Humboldt State softball team finished a four-game series sweep and greatly improved their postseason possibilities.

With the wins, HSU's record now stands at 26-21 overall, 15-13 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play.  The Warriors fall to 13-32-1, 8-24 in the conference.

HSU v. CSU Stanislaus Game One Box Score
HSU v. CSU Stanislaus Game Two Box Score

The Jacks have won 13 of their last 15 games and have moved from eighth to fifth place in the conference standings.  The top four teams qualify for the conference tournament.  HSU trails fourth-place UCSD by three in the win column, but have a one game advantage in the loss column.

The Lumberjacks, who have played four less games than the teams ahead of them, host a crucial series against San Francisco State beginning Sunday at 11 a.m. at McKinleyville High School.

In game one of today's doubleheader the Jacks jumped on the Warriors early putting up five runs in the first inning. 

Nikki Ketteringham led off with a single and two batters later Chrissy Stalf doubled to left to score Ketteringham.

A Kirsten Nouzovsky walk followed by a Gia Hampton double plated Stalf and left the Jacks with runners on second and third.  Felicia Viveiros then doubled in two runs to give HSU a 4-0 lead.  Two batters later Courtney Hiatt, who was pinch-hitting for Lindsay Warren, rapped a double, scoring Viveiros and giving the Jacks a 5-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning the Warriors got a two-out single followed by consecutive walks to load the bases, but Humboldt State starter Gracie Perez induced a line out to third base to end the threat.  Perez set down 11 of the next 15 batters allowing just three walks and a double over the next four innings.

In the top of the third Anna Feick hit a two-out solo homer, the first of her collegiate career, to push the HSU advantage to 6-0.

In the Jacks sixth, Ketteringham got a two-out single and was brought home on a two-run shot off the bat of Geneva Perrine, her second homer in as many days. 

Leading 8-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Perez set the Warriors down in order to end the game.  She earned her 12th win on the year against seven losses.

In game two, the Jacks had at least one hit in each inning.  They got a double and single in the first and second innings respectively before breaking through in the third.

Sammi Gilbert and Ketteringham each had singles to open the top of the third.  Perrine singled Gilbert home and Ketteringham advanced to third.  Two batters later Hampton was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  An groundout to second base by Nouzovsky plated Ketteringham and the Jacks had a 2-0 lead.

With one out in the fourth inning, Gilbert reached on an error which allowed a unearned run to score for HSU and give them a 3-0 lead.

In the fifth, with one out and runners on first and third, Viveiros reached base on a fielder's choice which allowed the Jacks to score their fourth run.  Ketteringham finished the HSU scoring in the sixth on a solo home run to right field.

Trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth, the Warriors finally got on the board.  They got successive singles to open their half of the inning.  A third single scored a run, but a throwing error by Ketteringham allowed a second run in and cut the Jacks lead to 5-2.  Humboldt State starter Vaneza Hoover then induced three ground outs to end the threat.

Each team got a hit in the seventh, but no runs were scored and the Lumberjacks finished the four-game sweep with a 5-2 victory.

Hoover went the distance scattering eight hits and striking out two en route to her 12th victory of the season.