ARCATA, Calif. – After taking a pair from Academy of Art Monday afternoon, the Humboldt State softball team hosts Cal State Stanislaus this weekend. The California Collegiate Athletic Association series starts with a twinbill Friday beginning at 1 p.m. and wraps Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
The Lumberjacks (13-8, 7-3 CCAA) suffered a split in their regular season-ending doubleheader against the Warriors. HSU Head Coach
Shelli Sarchett believes that sour memories of last season's split will motivate her team during its upcoming meeting with its CCAA rival.
"We have some payback for Stanislaus," said Sarchett. "Last year we split with them at the end of the year when we really needed to win two games. Anyone in this league is a team that is capable of taking some from you, and I have said this before for Academy of Art and Cal State San Bernardino, we have got to stop this splitting. Hopefully the momentum from Academy of Art will continue to Stanislaus, and we can keep that right mentality and momentum."
Nicollette Vizcaino leads the Warriors with a .417 batting average and has stolen 15 bases, six behind HSU conference leader Hannah Holland (21). Stanislaus' lineup is loaded with base-stealing threats and ranks second in the conference with 40 swiped bags.
"They really like to run," said Sarchett. "Vizcaino leads the team in hitting and stealing. She is obviously going to be someone we have to look out for and keep her off the bases."
HSU collected a pair of walk-off non-conference wins Monday against the Academy of Art. The Jacks trailed by seven, 9-2, to the Urban Knights before a rally capped by a Holland grand slam put the Green and Gold over the top. The Academy of Art lost 9-0 in six innings in the nightcap.
Sarchett hopes the Jacks renewed enthusiasm following the sweep of the Urban Knights will continue during this weekend's homestand.
"We have to go out and play our Humboldt style of softball," said Sarchett. "We have to pick up the intensity and our passion for the game right now. I hope those wins will be that spark."
