ARCATA - Following a challenging weather weekend, No. 7-ranked Humboldt State prepares for its second California Collegiate Athletic Association home series with San Francisco State coming to the North Coast.

    Playing on their 'home away from home,' the Lumberjacks came within a late game three home run of their first league series sweep of the year.   

Complete Notes Packet

HSU continues extended home stretch

     In a year with much anticipation, HSU felt like it would never enjoy playing on its home field with no long bus ride in the mix.

     The Jacks entered their 14-game home stretch last weekend with a 3-1 start in the first leg of the grouping of contests. 

     On Friday, HSU will hunt the Gators of San Francisco State to begin the fourth CCAA series of the spring slate.

     Following the upcoming four games, HSU will have Cal State East Bay for another series the next weekend, before Cal Baptist wraps up with a single doubleheader on Monday, March 17.

HSU drops three spots in national rankings

     What does taking three of four conference games get you as the No. 4 ranked team? Well, a three-spot drop in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association top 25 poll. 

     After holding the top spot briefly two weeks ago, HSU lost only one total point in the national rankings, but losing the one point resulted in falling from No. 4 to No. 7.

     Following a week of losing two of three contests, West Texas A&M (20-2) was able to hold onto its No. 1 ranking with 390 points and eight first place votes. Alabama-Huntsville (15-2) is only one point behind (389 points) to hold steady at No. 2.

     California Baptist (17-4) stayed at No. 3 with Texas Woman's University (17-3).

     HSU now sits below Augustana (SD), which is 7-2, and Armstrong (11-5) at No. 5 and No. 6.

     Other CCAA members in the ranks include No. 11 UC San Diego with Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State Dominguez Hills are Others Receiving votes with 11 and three votes.

Walker & Obbema earn CCAA acclaim

     For the third and fourth times this early softball season, HSU received CCAA softball weekly honors. In fact, the Jacks swept the weekly awards given out for Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week with centerfielder Tonya Walker and pitcher Katie Obbema received the acclaim.

     At the plate, Walker provided the hitting punch for two of the three HSU victories over visiting Chico State. The senior lined a walk-off single to center to drive in the winning run and a 2-1 game one victory. She ended the four-game set the same way with a three-run homer in the home sixth to help the Jacks win 11-8. 

    For the four games, Walker went 4-for-10 with two doubles, one homer, three runs, seven RBI, five walks, two times hit by a pitch.

    On the year, Tonya holds a .377 average with four homers and 13 RBI.

    On the mound, Katie Obbema figured in the pitching decision in all four of the contests. The sophomore went 1-1 with two saves and a 3.23 ERA over 17.1 innings of work. 

     In a complete game one, she allowed six hits and one earned run with four strikeouts. Katie covered the final 2.1 frames of game two and gave up only one hit for the save. The second-year player had a rough loss in game three battling rain and wet conditions most of the contest for the loss, before she enticed a double play and a pop out for her fifth save of the year in game four to end the weekend. 

    Obbema is now 9-3 with 5 saves and a 2.58 ERA over 17 appearances.

Jacks series vs. Gators 

     HSU holds an 107-28 overall series advantage against this week's CCAA opponent, San Francisco State.

     Last season in the Bay Area, the Jacks swept past the Gators in four games and claimed 10 of the last 13 meetings.

     Mar. 22, 2013  –  Gm. 1: HSU 2-0 / Gm. 2: HSU 2-1 (9)

     Mar. 23, 2013  –  Gm. 1: HSU 1-0 / Gm. 2: HSU 6-1

     Over the weekend, Katie Obbema had a dominant set. She logged 18.2 innings of shutout pitching to earn three wins and allowed only 11 hits.

Scouting San Francisco State (6-11/2-8 CCAA):

     The Gators have been on the short end of the final score in five of their last six games. With the rain, SFSU played one half of its series with Cal St. Stanislaus, but earned a split. The Gators won the opener, 7-2, before they were blanked, 5-0, in game two.

     • Recorded a 22-30 record in 2013 – five more wins than 2012's mark of 17-35.

     • Each pitcher holds at least a 4.72 ERA ... pitching staff has a CCAA low 5.05 team ERA ... walked more than struck out opposing batters (38 to 37)

     • OF Jennifer Lewis rates 6th in CCAA batting average at .426 (20 of 47) and SS Courtney Gravel is hitting .375 with team's lone homer.

Sisters against one another

     • HSU has two pairs of sisters on their team, but another player could face her sister on the opposing mound. Jacks' pitcher Katie Obbema's twin sister, Jenny Obbema, is a sophomore pitcher for SFSU with a 1-1 record and 5.11 ERA over 12.1 innings.

-GoJacks-