ARCATA, Calif. – The Humboldt State softball team hosts conference rival Chico State this weekend for a four-game series beginning Friday. First pitch for Friday's doubleheader is schedule for 1 p.m. at the HSU Softball Field.

"It's nice to not have to travel after being on the road all season long," said Head Coach Shelli Sarchett. "These next two weekends, in front of our home crowd, people are excited to see us and of course we are excited to finally play in front of a home crowd."

Last weekend the Lumberjacks split the series with conference foe San Francisco State. The Green and Gold got their offense going early after Rylie Carlier hit her sixth home run of the season driving in Micaela Harris and Winona Vigil in the first inning of Friday's game one. Hanna Holland added to the lead with her RBI single in the fifth that drove in Danica Grier. Senior pitcher Jasmine Hill tossed a complete game, surrendering four hits and a lone run to earn her seventh win of the season. In the series finale Winona Vigil, Amber Orchard, and Illa Haley were responsible for six of the Jacks' nine hits with two apiece. Freshman Lexee Sheiring had a stellar performance in the circle pitching a three-hit complete game shutout, good for her eighth win of the season.

"Chico is tough. They only have three losses on the season and are ranked No. 3 in the nation," said Sarchett. "They have good pitching, they have a lot of hitters this year, it's going to be a tough ballgame, and we are going to have to play at our best and I expect nothing less from our girls. Nothing is going to be easy, we are going to have to battle for everything we get this weekend. If we play those games where our defense, offense, and pitching are solid, its going to be an interesting and fun weekend."

Chico State enters the weekend as California Collegiate Athletic Association's hottest team with 14 straight wins. Last weekend, the Wildcats faced the No. 2 team in the conference in Sonoma State, taking all four games from the Seawolves. Chico showed off its power scoring 16 runs and hitting four homers during Friday's twinbill. Claire Wayne, Wendy Cardinali, Cyrena Taylor and Bailey Akins all blasted home runs. Akins' homer was good for her 12th on the season giving the junior the program's single-season home run record.

Chico State currently leads the conference boasting a record of 29-3 in CCAA play. HSU faced the Wildcats twice last year splitting the regular season series. During the CCAA Championship Tournament, the Lumberjacks played Chico three more times, dropping the first but winning the next two, outscoring their rivals 14-5 over the three games. The Jacks earned their spot in last year's Super Regional after defeating Chico State 5-2 in the West Regional finale. HSU currently sits at 14-12 in conference play and continues to battle for one of four spots in the conference tournament.