BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 GAME 1:  #7 Humboldt State 4, #17 Sonoma State 3 -- Box Score
GAME 2:  #7 Humboldt State 6, #17 Sonoma State 2 -- Box Score

ARCATA, Calif. -- Ali Palermo hit her 10th home run of the season in the opener and Vanessa Currie recorded two RBI in the nightcap, but the Sonoma State softball team suffered a doubleheader sweep at the mercy of Humboldt State in the battle of the conference's top two teams on Friday at the HSU Softball Field in Arcata. 

The Seawolves, ranked 17th in this week's NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll, fall into third place in the CCAA standings at 18-8 (31-11 overall).  The Lumberjacks, ranked seventh in the national poll, improves to 35-11 (22-4 CCAA) and takes a three-game lead over second-place UC San Diego in the conference standings.

Samantha Lipperd (18-6) was tagged with both losses in the twinbill, giving up seven runs on seven hits, including four home runs, while striking out nine in 10 innings of work.  Ancia Purdy combined for three hits in the two games with a double and two runs scored and both Holli Brown and Palermo pounded out two hits.

GAME 1:  #7 Humboldt State 4, #17 Sonoma State 3 -- Box Score

The 'Jacks got on the scoreboard first, on a bases-loaded RBI single by Sarah Fox.  HSU threatened for more as the bases remained loaded, but SSU starter Samantha Lipperd struck out Megan Wink to end the inning.

With one swing of the bat in the top of the second, Palermo launched a game-tying solo home run to right center field, her 10th of the season, tying the single-season home run record in Sonoma State softball history, a mark that she set as a freshman in 2010.  The Seawolves weren't finished there.  Megan Konieczka reached on a one-out single through the left side, advanced to second on a Keisi Chinen single, then stole third and scored on a throwing error by Humboldt State catcher Courtney Hiatt to give Sonoma the 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the third, the Lumberjacks struck for three runs, all of which came home on home run blasts by the nation's best home run hitting team.  Dani Randall smacked a deep shot to left field, and while left fielder Vanessa Currie had the ball in her glove as she crashed through the temporary fence, but the collision knocked the ball loose and it dropped over the fence for the solo home run to tie the game at 2-2.  Two batters later, Julie Pena rocketed a two-run shot over the left center field fence, giving the hosts a 4-2 lead.

The Seawolves made it interesting in the fifth when Ancia Purdy doubled to center field, then scored on a Danielle D'Eccliss ground ball through the infield and all the way to the fence in right center -- D'Eccliss got to third with the triple, but was left stranded there with SSU now trailing 4-3.

Still down by one run entering the top of the seventh, the Seawolves had the opportunity to tie and possibly take the lead with the tying run on third base in Hayley Condon and the go-ahead run on first in Purdy, but Katie Obbema got D'Eccliss to groundout to end the game.

Purdy and Palermo each recorded two hits and a run scored.  In fact, SSU outhit HSU, 8-4 in the game.  Lipperd dropped just her fifth game in 25 appearances this season in the loss; she allowed four hits, four runs and four walks while striking out four.

Obbema improved to 16-3 on the year, giving up eight hits and three runs (two earned), with a walk and two strikeouts.  Fox had two of the four 'Jack hits in the opener.

GAME 2:  #7 Humboldt State 6, #17 Sonoma State 2 -- Box Score

The Seawolves took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning when Currie delivered a two-RBI single to right field that scored Purdy and Chinen with two outs.  However, from then on, HSU pitcher Lizzie Perez shut down the SSU lineup, giving up just one hit in the final three innings.

Meanwhile, the Seawolf lead would hold until the fourth inning when Humboldt State brought out the lumber to hit a pair of jacks to give the hosts a 3-2 lead, thanks to back-to-back home runs by Randall and Hannah Williams.  Three more Lumberjack runs came across the plate in the sixth on a bases-loaded two-RBI single up the middle by Tonya Walker, followed by a Chrissy Stalf single to center field, bringing home Walker for the 6-2 lead and eventual final score.

Perez (15-4) gave up just three hits in her complete-game effort for Humboldt State; she walked one and struck out five in the contest.  Randall led the way with two of HSU's six hits in the nightcap.

Lipperd suffered her third loss in as many games -- and to the same team -- after allowing three runs on four hits and two walks, striking out five in four innings of work.  Katy Bihl came on in relief in the fifth inning and while she struckout the side in the fifth, she gave up the three runs in the sixth.

Offensively for the Seawolves, Purdy, Currie and Brown each had a hit, but that would be all for SSU in the loss.