Photo provided by Humboldt State.

Humboldt State is killin’ it at sports this year. First the Lumberjacks made the playoffs in football for the first time in nearly 50 years. Then the men’s basketball team won the CCAA Tournament championship, and now the softball team is playing for its third National Championship.

According to the Humboldt State Athletic’s Department Facebook page, the Jacks are one win away from bringing another championship back to Humboldt State.

You can watch them battle the University of North Alabama for the championship in Denver by clicking the live stream link below. They’re playing right now, so get to it!

http://www.ncaa.com/championship/liveplayer/player?gameId=2099277

Humboldt State Athletics Department:

DENVER – Humboldt State softball went from being on the verge of elimination to one game away from its third NCAA Division II Softball National Championship in the span of an afternoon at Regency Athletic Complex.
 
The Lumberjacks defeated Armstrong State, 6-2, and punched their ticket to the championship series. HSU faced North Alabama, who entered the game undefeated in tournament play, and earned a 5-0 win.
 
With Friday’s results, HSU is one victory away from capturing the program’s first national title since 2008.
 
“We attacked from the get-go, put pressure on the bases and got hits when we needed them,” said Head Coach Shelli Sarchett. “It’s really nice to know that if our pitchers are going to put the ball in play that the defense will be ready behind them.”
 
HSU improved to 54-6-1 following Friday’s games, and Sarchett knows her squad is ready for the challenges that await it Saturday.
 
“Our team has been preparing for this moment since they got on campus,” said Sarchett. “We put the pressure on them in practices and scrimmages before this. We just have to go out there and play Humboldt softball, that is what we did today and that is what I look forward to tomorrow.”
 
GAME ONE
(Humboldt State 6, Armstrong State 2)
 
The Jacks used a four-run fourth inning and an outstanding effort from starter Katie Obbema to power past the Pirates and punch their ticket to the NCAA Division II Championship series.
 
With the game tied through three innings, HSU took control of the ball game in the fourth. Julie Pena opened the frame with a single and came home when Kalyn Paque cleared the bases with a home run to left centerfield. Cindy Chavez and Tiffany Hollingsworth added to the Jacks’ total with a pair of two-out RBI singles.
 
Armstrong State plated its first run in the fifth when Peyton Roth crushed a double to right field, which scored Michelle Breen from second base.
 
The Green and Gold answered the Pirates with a pair of runs in the next inning. Hanna Holland and Hollingsworth recorded RBI singles in the sixth.
 
Katie Obbema was locked in from start to finish. The senior allowed just eight hits, three of which came in the seventh inning, and two runs. She fanned seven Pirates and notched her 21st complete game and 24th victory of the season.
 
Holland and Hollingsworth led the Jacks with two hits apiece, and Holland swiped two bases to bring her season total to 69.
 
GAME TWO
(Humboldt State 5, North Alabama 0)
 
HSU scored five runs against flame-throwing North Alabama starter Raven Cole, but the offense wasn’t the only thing clicking in the nightcap.
 
Madison Williams pitched a complete game, her team-leading 28th of the season, and silenced the nation’s third-best offense. Williams three-hit the Lions and fanned five in 7.0 innings of work. She rebounded from a tough outing Thursday against Armstrong State and picked up her 26th win.
 
“In the beginning I was a little nervous, because this is the National Championship,” said Williams about her confidence improving during the North Alabama game. “As I went on I knew this was our game, and we got this.”
 
A bobbled grounder at short gave the Jacks a 1-0 lead in the first. Holland reached base on a walk to begin the game, stole second, moved to third on a single and scored on a Reagan Tittle error.
 
HSU plated three runs on four hits in the fourth. Paque, Cyndi Chavez and Holland each tallied run-scoring singles.
 
The Jacks tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Roberts. Paque opened the frame with a double and advanced to third on a ground out.
 
Hollingsworth and Paque recorded multi-hit outings versus North Alabama.