HAYWARD, Calif. -- No. 19 Humboldt State softball opened a four-game series against California Collegiate Athletic Association foe Cal State East Bay with a doubleheader split Friday.
 
"Cal State East Bay is a good team that has some solid hitters," said Head Coach Shelli Sarchett. "I give credit to both our pitchers ­­­­­­– they threw well today. With Katie Obbema, it was a matter of one pitch. Madison Williams pitched a great game and kept us in the second game the whole time."
 
The split moves the Lumberjacks to 8-5 overall and 5-1 against CCAA opposition.
                                   
Obbema pitched six innings and surrendered four runs to the Pioneers in the series-opening loss. Williams fanned nine over seven frames in the game two win.
 
HSU compiled 16 hits Friday, but stranded 14 base runners. A fact that was all too obvious to Sarchett.
 
"Some of our hitters struggled today," said Sarchett. "They need to come back tomorrow, make adjustments and relax knowing they can hit anything Cal State East Bay has to throw at us."
 
The Jacks and Pioneers resume the series Saturday. The twinbill begins at 11 a.m.
 
GAME ONE
 
Darian Harris slapped a two-run home run to put the Green and Gold on the board first in the first inning. The round tripper scored lead-off hitter Hannah Holland, who opened the game with a walk.
 
HSU saw its lead trimmed to one run in the second, 2-1, after a Lauren Vestal RBI single. Hannah Williams connected on her only hit of the afternoon in the next inning, an RBI single that put the Jacks back on top by two, 3-1.
 
Friday's windy weather conditions were a non-factor until the wind pushed a MacDonald long ball over the fence and brought home three in the third.
 
Pioneer starter Sierra Clark cruised through the remainder of the game and allowed just two hits. Clark went the distance, allowed nine hits, three runs and picked up the decision.
 
Obbema fanned a season-high 11 in the loss.
 
HSU's Tiffany Hollingsworth went 3-for-4 at the plate in game one.
 
GAME TWO
 
Harris and Hollingsworth drove in three runs on a pair of two-out doubles, which clinched a game two victory for the Jacks. Cindy Chavez and Allison McKibbon came home on the Harris double, and Hollingsworth's base knock brought home Harris.
 
Williams recorded a season-high nine punchouts in the win. She logged seven innings, allowed five hits and one earned run.
 
MacDonald slugged her second home run of the afternoon and plated Cal State East Bay's lone run in the bottom half of the seventh.