ARCATA, Calif. – The Humboldt State softball program has won its last 13-straight games and aims to continue rolling on the road this weekend versus UC San Diego.
 
The Lumberjacks (32-10, 18-6 CCAA) completed the home sweep of California Collegiate Athletic Association opponent Cal State Dominguez Hills last Thursday and Friday. Pitcher Katie Obbema was one of the top performers for the Green and Gold and went 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA in 16.2 innings. The Morgan Hill, Calif., native was given the CCAA Pitcher of the Week nod for her performance for the second-straight week.
 
"She has really turned her season around moving into the later part of the schedule," said HSU Head Coach Shelli Sarchett. "Obbema continues to improve and has really given our pitching staff a great 1-2 punch. Actually it's like having a No. 1 and No. 1A pitcher that can take the circle for you each day. That is a compliment to the hard work both Madison Williams and Katie are putting in every week."
 
HSU hits the road and travels to La Jolla this weekend to face UC San Diego, a team it beat five times in the regular season last year. UC San Diego has lost many of its top batters from a year ago, but still ranks in the top four in the CCAA in stolen bases a category it led in 2014. What the Tritons lack in hitting they have made up for with some of the league's top pitching performances. They rank second in the conference with a 2.83 ERA.
 
"They have good pitching," said Sarchett. "They have lost some key players from last season and return only a small group from their strong team last year. This is a team that is not going to beat you with power. They are going to beat you by putting the pressure on you defensively and run. Obviously their stolen bases aren't what they were last year, but they will create havoc on the bases."
 
Triton outfielders Taylor Abeyta and Kelsi Maday lead the squad with 10 stolen bases apiece. Maday is also the team's second-best hitter with a .333 batting average. She leads the team with 20 RBI and four home runs.
 
The Jacks met the Tritons four times four times during the regular season last year. However it was UC San Diego who won the game that mattered most and beat HSU 10-6 in eight innings in the first round of the NCAA West Regionals.
 
"Unfortunately we have to see teams in four league games, the CCAA Tournament and regionals. Eventually they are going to beat you, and that is what happened last season," said Sarchett. "So this weekend is just about going in there and keeping the momentum that we have going from these past 13 to 20 ballgames. We have to keep fighting until the final out."
 
During the Jacks' 13-game winning streak the team is batting .319 and has compiled a 2.20 ERA. Hannah Williams has been one of the Green and Gold's top hitters during the streak. The Brentwood, Calif., native is batting .375 and leads the team with 13 RBI over the stretch. She is hitting .339 overall this season and is tied for third on the team with six home runs.
 
"Championship teams have to have production up and down the lineup," said Sarchett. "Hannah has been coming on strong recently and really producing."
 
As the team heads into the final 12 games of the regular season, Sarchett believes the key to the team reaching the conference tournament and NCAA postseason is trust.
 
"We have been doing the little things since August, now it's just about staying together as a team and trusting each other," said Sarchett. "We need to trust each other and have each other's back and know that if something does go wrong and you can't do it, then your teammate can."