STOCKTON, Calif. -- Keeley Ray extended her reached base streak to 56 games with a 2 for 3 effort at the plate, but two home runs by Humboldt State would be the difference in Friday's 4-0 loss in the opening round of the CCAA Softball Championships at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton.  The Seawolves (38-18) will play Chico State in an elimination game Saturday at 2:30 pm while the Lumberjacks (40-15) advance to the semifinals against Cal State Monterey Bay at Noon on Saturday.

Sonoma got off to a quick start in the top half of the first inning, loading the bases with two outs, but Humboldt's starter Katie Obbema got a strikeout to end the inning.  In the bottom of the second, the 'Jacks lived up to their nickname, breaking a scoreless tie on a solo home run by Julie Pena off of SSU's Amanda Llerena. 

In the top of the fourth, the Seawolves put two runners on with hits by Amanda Rossetta and Ashley Long, but again, Obbema worked herself out of the jam to end the inning unscathed.  From then on, Obbema retired the final 10 batters she faced, keeping Sonoma State off the scoreboard.

Meanwhile, Humboldt State cushioned its lead in the bottom of the sixth with another home run, a three-run shot by Dani Randall to put HSU up 4-0.  Both Llerena (23-11) and Obbema (19-8) allowed only five hits each, and while Llerena struckout seven, Obbema fanned 11.

Sonoma State will need to win four straight games -- two on Saturday and two on Sunday -- to capture the CCAA title.  However, in the double elimination format of the conference tournament, one more loss will send the Seawolves home to await word on their NCAA postseason fate.