ARCATA, Calif. -- Kristine Ricossa hit her first-career home run in game two, but it would account for only one of two runs on the day as the Sonoma State softball team fell victim of a four-game series sweep at the hands of No. 3 Humboldt State with losses of 4-1 and 9-1 in five innings on Tuesday in Arcata. 

The Seawolves (24-18) dropped into fifth place in the CCAA standings at 16-13, one-half game behind San Francisco State in fourth place.  The Lumberjacks improved to 39-3-1 overall and 28-2 in CCAA action.

In Tuesday's opener, Humboldt jumped out in front first, plating four runs in the third inning on a bases-loaded walk and a couple of RBI singles.  It wasn't until the top of the seventh that Sonoma got on the board, and in turn, made things interesting.  Carlie Daniel singled and Jordan White doubled to lead off the inning, placing runners on second and third with no outs.  HSU pitcher Katie Obbema got Jena Kaser to pop up to the catcher for the first out, but two pitches later, Sarah Langley roped a single to center field scoring Ally Bryant, who pinch ran for Daniel, but Malory Masajlo, who pinch ran for White, was gunned down at the plate on her attempt to score from second base on the play for the second out of the inning. 

Nonetheless, the Seawolves cut the deficit down to three runs at 4-1, but were faced with two outs and a runner on second base.  However, two more pitches later, Obbema (18-2) got Mayleen Mazon to fly out to left field to end the game.

Mazon (1-6) got the start in the circle for Sonoma, working into the third inning before Amanda Llerena came in to finish.  Mazon allowed four hits, four walks and four runs (three earned) to the 16 batters she faced.  Llerena worked the final 3.2 innings and held HSU to zero runs and just two hits, striking out five.  Five different Seawolves had hits in the game, and three of SSU's five hits in the game came in the seventh inning.

In the series finale, Humboldt State's Tiffany Hollingsworth hit the first of two home runs on the day in the bottom of the first to put the hosts up 2-0 early.  Ricossa cut the HSU lead in half when she took Madison Williams, the CCAA's best pitcher, deep to center field, a solo shot to make it 2-1 in the third.

However, the Lumberjacks began to pile it on, beginning with another two-run home run by Hollingsworth in the bottom of the third, followed by two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to once again induce the eight-run mercy rule in the form of a 9-1 loss for the Seawolves.

Brielle Vidmar (6-4) started the first three innings of the ballgame before Llerena came back in to finish the game.  Vidmar allowed four runs on two hits and three walks, then in 1.1 innings of work for Llerena, she allowed the final five runs on five hits, three walks and two hit-by-pitches while striking out two.

HSU's Williams improved to 19-1 this year, allowing four hits, including the home run by Ricossa, and striking out seven.

Sonoma State will continue its 23-game road trip Friday and Saturday at Stanislaus State in Turlock.  First pitch of Friday's doubleheader is set to begin at 4:00 pm.