STOCKTON, Calif.—In its sixth trip to the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament in eight years, it looked for all the world like it was finally the Wildcats' turn. The Chico State softball team looked impressive by sweeping its way into Championship Sunday at the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament thanks to wins over Cal State Monterey Bay Friday and Humboldt State on Saturday. Instead, it would be the Lumberjacks that avoided elimination to hoist the championship banner by beating the Wildcats 5-3 and 8-0 Sunday at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton.
 
The two losses on the tournament's final day dropped Chico State to 37-16 on the year. The Wildcats, which started the weekend as the No. 2 team in the West Region rankings, know there is more postseason action ahead, and will find out Monday where the team will settle among the top eight teams in the West for next week's NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional.

 

Chico State was stymied by Humboldt State starting pitcher Madison Williams, who went the distance in both contests and held the Wildcats to just seven total hits on the day. Kristin Worley was the most productive member of the 'Cats' Sunday, posting a pair of hits and stealing three bases.
 
The Wildcats had two chances to win one game Sunday to wrap up the CCAA Championship Tournament crown, but in the day's first contest it was Humboldt State that opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning—Winona Vigil doubled, went to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a suicide squeeze bunt by Tiffany Hollingsworth.
 
In a wild bottom of the first, Chico State tied the score, but not without some controversy. Cailin Garmon appeared to have scored from third on a Marsh grounder, avoiding the tag at home but not touching the plate on her slide. The Lumberjacks alertly retrieved the ball and tagged out Garmon in the Wildcats' dugout, negating the would-be run. Later in the frame, with the bases loaded and two outs, Worley scored from third when Olivia Dallara reached on a wild pitch third strike.
 
Chico State jumped on top in the bottom of the second inning when Garmon and Worley scored on a two-out single by Marsh. Humboldt answered in the top of the third, taking advantage of a bases-loaded walk issued by Haley Gilham to cut the deficit to 3-2.

 

The Lumberjacks knotted up the contest in the top of the fifth inning when Sydney Roberts reached on an error and eventually came home on an RBI groundout off the bat of Kalyn Paque. The 'Cats gave Humboldt a scare in the bottom of the fifth—with two aboard, Dallara launched a long fly ball that was caught at the left field fence. Williams went on to set down Chico State without further incident to keep the game tied.
 
Humboldt went back in front in the top of the seventh inning when Hollingsworth doubled home Vigil and then scored on Paque's double off the center field fence. Chico State got the potential tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but Williams retired the final three Wildcat batters to end the game, giving the Lumberjacks the 5-3 win and forcing a winner-take-all championship game.
 
Humboldt immediately took command in the deciding contest, putting up a crooked number in the top of the first inning thanks to a two-out, two-run double by Breonna Bejaran and an RBI single by Illa Haley. The Lumberjacks took advantage of two Wildcats errors to plate another run in the top of the third, and a two-run homer by Haley capped the frame as Humboldt extended its advantage to 6-0.
 
The Lumberjacks continued to pour it on, as Paque bombed a two-run homer to left in the top of the fourth inning. That would be more than enough offense for Williams, who retired Chico State in order in the fourth and fifth frames, giving Humboldt State the 8-0 victory and the program's fourth CCAA Championship Tournament crown.
 
At the conclusion of Sunday's action, Gilham, Marsh, Worley and DeHart were named to the CCAA Championship All-Tournament team.
 
Now the 'Cats turn their attention to the NCAA Championship Tournament. Chico State will get the official word of its West Region seeding, who the Wildcats' first round opponent will be and where they will play Monday at 7 a.m. via the live selection show available to all fans at www.ncaa.com.