SAN FRANCISCO – It wasn't easy, but No. 3-ranked Humboldt State softball finished its series sweep of SF State Saturday. The Lumberjacks captured a 5-3 win in the first game of the afternoon and wrapped the series with a 4-3 victory.
 
"I have to give SF State credit, they don't give up and made every game tough," said Head Coach Shelli Sarchett. "I am really proud of my girls. They stayed tough when the chips are down."
 
HSU extended its winning streak to 18 straight with a pair of wins over the sinking Gators. SF State has dropped seven consecutive games and nine of its last 10 outings.
 
The Jacks improved to 43-3-1 overall and 32-2 in conference play.
 
The Bay Area road trip concludes with a non-conference doubleheader versus Dominican Sunday. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 11 a.m.
 
GAME ONE
(Humboldt State 5, SF State 3)
 
The afternoon began with a sisterly showdown between Katie Obbema and SF State starter Jenny Obbema.
 
HSU carried a 2-0 lead through three innings. Julie Pena hit an RBI single up the middle in the first, and Kalyn Paque executed a successful squeeze bunt to bring home Darian Harris from third in the third inning.
 
A three-run fourth put the Gators ahead by a run before Jenny Obbema saw her strong outing fall apart. She walked Breonna Bejaran to begin the fifth inning and gave up consecutive two-out singles to knot the game at 3-3.
 
Pena lifted a two-run homer to left field in the seventh to give HSU the 5-3 decision. She finished the game with a team-best three hits, including her sixth home run of the season.
 
Katie Obbema fanned seven and allowed three earned runs en route to her 20^th win. She threw 81 pitches, 63 of which were strikes.
 
 GAME TWO
(Humboldt State 4, SF State 3)
 
Unlike the first game of the series, HSU batters wasted no time scoring runs against SF State ace Megan Clark in the second meeting.
 
The four-run first inning featured four hits, including a three-run double to left centerfield by Illa Halley. Tiffany Hollingsworth plated the other run with a run-scoring double of her own.
 
SF State rallied late, scoring a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth, but Madison Williams demonstrated composure in the circle on her way to win No. 21. She struck out eight, walked three and yielded three runs.
 
Hollingsworth finished the game with two of the Jacks' five hits.