ARCATA, Calif. – The Cal Poly Humboldt softball team returns home to continue CCAA action this weekend as the Lumberjacks host Chico State for a four-game series at Humboldt Softball Field. Humboldt and Chico State will open the series with a doubleheader on Friday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., followed by another doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Friday's games will recognize NFCA Strikeout Cancer Day, while Saturday's doubleheader will serve as Senior Day, honoring Humboldt's graduating class for their contributions to the program and outstanding achievements.

The Lumberjacks enter the weekend 19-24 overall and 10-12 in CCAA play, sitting in the middle of a tightly contested conference race as they look to strengthen their postseason positioning.

LAST TIME OUT

Cal Poly Humboldt is coming off a challenging road series against a nationally-ranked opponent, dropping all four games to No. 3 Cal State San Marcos.

Despite the results, the Lumberjacks continued to show competitiveness against one of the top teams in the region. Lily Fournier reached a major milestone during the series, recording her 100th strikeout of the season, which ranks among the top marks in the CCAA.

WARDING OFF THE WILDCATS

Chico State enters the weekend 16-20 overall and 10-14 in CCAA play, sitting just behind Humboldt in the conference standings, setting up a pivotal series with postseason implications.

The Wildcats have shown the ability to compete throughout conference play and will look to gain ground in the standings with a strong showing on the road. Chico State has lost their last two series and six of their last eight games. 

For Humboldt, this weekend presents an opportunity to bounce back on its home field and create separation in the standings. The Lumberjacks have demonstrated resilience throughout the season, with multiple comeback victories and consistent production throughout the lineup.

With both teams positioned closely in the conference race, the series carries added importance as the regular season begins to wind down and playoff spots get closer to finalized.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

The Lumberjacks will honor six seniors on Saturday morning in their last home series of the regular season. This includes right-handed pitcher Siona Halwani, Katlyn Gifford at first base, Bella Garcia at third, outfielders Alyssa Ramirez and Alexa Garcia, and shortstop phenom Shelby Shanks.

Halwani transferred to Humboldt for her senior season after a stint at University of Montana and two dominant years at College of San Mateo where she earned all-conference and all-region honors while leading her team to the state championships.

Gifford has started all but two games at first base thus far in her four years with Cal Poly Humboldt while earning Second Team All-CCAA in her junior season. She currently boasts a .386 batting average (6th in CCAA), .513 on-base percentage (2nd in CCAA), 30 walks (2nd in CCAA), and has been an outstanding presence for the Lumberjacks this season.

Bella Garcia has also shined at the plate this season with a .342 average while being one of the more polished defensive players in the conference since arriving in Humboldt. Last season, she finished with a .950 fielding percentage and is on track for .896 this season.

Ramirez was also CCAA All-Second Team in her junior season and proved to be a threat on the base paths, notching at .408 on-base percentage and stealing seven bases on seven attempts. This season, she has done much of the same with her speed, recording five steals thus far and recording a .951 fielding percentage spanning the depths of right field.

Alexa Garcia, who has had the pleasure of playing alongside her twin sister this season, has also been a positive light for the Lumberjacks in the outfield. This season, she has nearly tripled her strikeout output and has compiled improvements in nearly every major statistical category.

Lastly, Shanks has been utterly dominant for the 'Jacks and that is an understatement in itself. The shortstop out of the Central Valley has had a historic season at the plate, posting a .426 batting average (2nd in CCAA) and 1.197 OPS (2nd in CCAA) on the season. Shanks has solidified herself as one of the top threats for opposing pitchers in the entire conference.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

Cal Poly Humboldt vs. Chico State: Game 1 - Friday - 1 p.m. - Watch | Live Stats
Cal Poly Humboldt vs. Chico State: Game 2 - Friday - 3 p.m. - Watch | Live Stats
Cal Poly Humboldt vs. Chico State: Game 3 - Saturday - 11 a.m. - Watch | Live Stats
Cal Poly Humboldt vs. Chico State: Game 4 - Saturday - 1 p.m. - Watch | Live Stats

CONFERENCE STANDINGS

Team	CCAA	Overall
Cal State San Marcos	24-4	43-6
Cal State East Bay	16-8	34-10
Cal State Dominguez Hills	13-15	31-20
Cal Poly Humboldt	10-12	19-24
Chico State	10-14	16-20
Cal State San Bernardino	9-13	20-22
San Francisco State	9-13	20-23
Cal State Monterey Bay	9-15	26-19
Stanislaus State	8-14	19-19

UP NEXT

Following this weekend's series, Cal Poly Humboldt will continue CCAA play in their last regular season series against Stanislaus State before the postseason.

For more information on Cal Poly Humboldt softball, visit humboldtathletics.com, download our mobile app on Apple iOS or Google Android, and follow the Lumberjacks on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Facebook.

Instagram: @humboldt.athletics
Twitter/X: @HumboldtJacks
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