ARCATA - After the first time off since the start of the season, No. 8 Humboldt State will take to the diamond in one of the biggest weekend events of the season. The Lumberjacks will take part in the 13th annual Tournament of Champions hosted by Cal State Stanislaus and seek their first title in seven years.

     HSU finished its run of 37-straight games over the first two months by sweeping California Collegiate Athletic Association member Cal State Dominguez Hills in four games on March 21-22 in Carson.
 

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Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/humboldt/softball/     

HSU set to face GNAC five team in ToC Pool Play

     In the first two days of the Tournament of Champions, the Jacks will face five Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponents in the 24-team West Region event.

     HSU will have a full three-game slate of contests on the opening Friday schedule of action – vs. Simon Fraser (9 a.m.); vs. Montana State Billings (11:15 a.m.) and Western Oregon (3:45 p.m.).

     The Jacks will wrap up Pool Play with two more contests on Saturday against Central Washington (8:45 a.m.) and Saint Martin's (11 a.m.).          
 

HSU falls two spots after week off in Top 25 
Full AFCA Top 25 Poll

     After having the first week off since the start of the season, HSU fell two spots to the No. 8 ranking in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Top 25 poll.

     HSU held at No. 6 the previous two weeks, before now dropping to a season-low No. 8 on the poll released on April 2.

     West Texas A&M (31-4) received a season-high 14 of 16 first place votes to stay the clear No. 1 ranked program.

     California Baptist (32-7) lost a first place vote, but received the other two to stay at No. 2. Tampa (27-4) continued it surge up the ranks to No. 3, after being No. 10 just two weeks ago. 

     Armstrong Atlantic (26-8) dropped one spot to No. 4 and St. Mary's (Texas) at 36-4 stayed at No. 5

     Joining HSU from the CCAA teams in the top 25, Cal State Monterey Bay (26-5) moved up to No. 15, while UC San Diego (22-6) went down one ranking to No. 20. Sonoma State garnered two votes in the Others Receiving Votes category.

Jacks seek fifth ToC title and first in seven years

     Over the first 12 years of the Tournament of Champions, HSU is one of only two multi-title winning programs and leads with five overall championships in the premiere West Region event.

     HSU misssed its fifth Tournament of Champions title by two victories last season. The Jacks fell to CSU Dominguez Hills in the semifinal tilt, 2-1. HSU finished 5-2 in the three-day event.

     The North Coast team claimed four-straight titles from 2005-08 as Hawai'i Pacific (2009 & 2011) is the only other multi-title team.

     HSU was able to take the Bronze Bracket for the consolation round of teams in the 2010 edition.
 

Hollingsworth tries to extend streak

     After taking the CCAA Player of the Week award for the third time two weeks ago, Tiffany Hollingsworth will try to continue her 13-game hitting streak on Friday. 

     The freshman has successfully recorded at least one hit in 31 of 37 games. She raised her average to .421 after it had dropped to a season low .337 level before beginning her current run of hits. Tiffany also rates in the CCAA top 10 in nine offensive categories including leading in runs (37), hits (53) and doubles (15).
 

Jacks series at Tournament of Champions

     HSU enters the upcoming weekend's 13th Tournament of Champions with the most overall number of wins with 50 in 77 games (.649). The 50 wins stands one more than Cal State Dominguez Hills (49-26) and six more than San Francisco State (44-32).

     2013 HSU Games:

    April 5: HSU 3, Azusa Pacific 0

    April 5: St. Martin's 5, HSU 4

    April 5: HSU 2, Central Washington 1

    April 6: HSU 5, Montana State Billings 4

    April 6: HSU 8, Western Washington 3

    April 7: HSU 1, Sonoma State 0

    April 7: CSU Dominguez Hills 2, HSU 1

Scouting Simon Fraser (2-21/2-12 GNAC):

     • HSU leads series 14-7
     • HSU won 6-4 in Feb. 8 at Desert Stinger Tourn. in Las Vegas
     • Started season by dropping its first 19 games
     • Swept Northwest Nazarene on March 22 for lone two wins
     • Scored only 76 runs in 23 games and have a 7.28 team ERA
 

Scouting Montana State Billings (9-14/4-10 GNAC):

     • HSU leads series 15-2
     • HSU won 4-3 in Feb. 7 at Desert Stinger Tourn. in Las Vegas
     • Lost last four games
     • Led by Aubre Conceicao - .384 avg, seven doubles and nine RBIs

Scouting Western Oregon (22-11/13-1 GNAC):

     • HSU leads series 54-5
     • Received six votes in latest AFCA Top 25 poll
     • Won last five and 15 of last 16 games
     • Three hitters batting over .400 including Melanie Pfeiffer (.446)

Scouting Central Washington (15-10/8-6 GNAC):

     • HSU leads series 51-5
     • Received four votes in latest AFCA Top 25 poll
     • Split four games with HSU over last three years
     • Lost four of last five games and last three
 

Scouting Saint Martin's (15-13/9-4 GNAC):

     • HSU leads series 42-6
     • HSU won the two West Regional games (6-5 & 5-3) last May 11-12 in Arcata
     • Claimed wins in four of last six games
     • Taviah Jenkins pace hitting at .393 with 7 HR and 33 RBIs

 

-GoJacks-