ARCATA—The Chico State softball team relied primarily on its pitching to take both ends of Friday's series-opening doubleheader against Cal Poly Humboldt. On Saturday, though, it was the Wildcats' offense that provided the fuel for another pair of wins over the Lumberjacks. The 'Cats cranked out 26 runs and 27 hits on the day—including four home runs—to outslug the 'Jacks 9-7 in the opener and 17-5 in the nightcap, sweeping the doubleheader and four-game series in Arcata.
 
Saturday's two victories extended Chico State's winning streak to eight straight and raised the Wildcats' season record to 18-4 and California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) conference mark to 10-2. Cal Poly Humboldt saw its losing streak run to eight in a row, as the Lumberjacks dropped to 7-13 overall and 3-9 in CCAA play.
 
Several Chico State hitters enjoyed a multi-hit day. Alani Nguyen included a home run among her five hits while driving in five runs; Nina Revoir homered twice, collected four hits and five RBI. Amanda Metzger racked up her four hits in the second game of the doubleheader and knocked in four runs, and Grace Stover contributed four hits and scored five times. Brooke Larsen, Blaire Willson, and Rachael Bles each had two hits as Chico State's team batting average soared to .305 on the season.
 
Chico State scored early and often in game one of Saturday's twin bill. Nguyen got the 'Cats on the board with an RBI single in the top of the first, and before the inning was over Hailey Seva scored from third on a wild pitch, and Larsen doubled home Nguyen to make it 3-0. The Wildcats got another gift run in the second inning, when Stover came home courtesy of a wild pitch.
 
In the top of the fourth, Chico State added to its advantage by unleashing the long ball. With Stover aboard, Nguyen roped her first home run of the year over the left field fence, and Revoir immediately followed with a mammoth round-tripper to center—the back-to-back jacks giving the Wildcats a seemingly comfortable 7-0 lead.
 
Cal Poly Humboldt finally awoke from its offensive slumber in the bottom of the fifth inning, riding back-to-back homers by Izzy Starr and Katelyn Dendas to score five times. The 'Cats got two of those runs back in the top of the sixth—with Reilani Peleti aboard, Revoir delivered her second big fly of the contest—and fourth of the season—to make the score 9-5.
 
The Lumberjacks answered with two of their own in the bottom of the sixth, pulling to within 9-7. Chico State failed to score in the top of the seventh, and in the bottom of the inning Humboldt got the leadoff batter aboard. With the tying run at the plate, Larsen reached back for a little extra in the pitcher's circle, deflating any potential drama by inducing a popup to second base and then striking out Julia Rivera and Ciera Pyle to end it, giving the Wildcats the 9-7 victory.
 
Larsen struck out nine in notching her 12th complete game and raising her record to 11-1 on the season.
 
The 'Cats quickly jumped out in front in the nightcap, putting up a crooked number in the top of the first inning. Peleti drew a two-out walk, and following a Nguyen single, both scored when Revoir's long fly ball to right field was dropped. Amanda Metzger promptly singled home Revoir, staking Wildcats starting pitcher Katelyn Oldwin to a 3-0 lead.
 
Chico State added a run in the top of the second inning when Stover reached on an infield single and scored on a double to left by Willson. Cal Poly Humboldt cut the 'Cats lead in half in the bottom of the second, as Vanessa Saltos launched a two-run homer to make it a 4-2 ballgame.
 
Metzger belted her third home run of the year in the top of the third inning to put another hashmark on the Wildcats' side of the scoreboard, then in the fourth Chico State pushed its lead to seven—Willson's second double of the contest knocked in Bles, Revoir drove in a pair with a bases-loaded single, and Metzger chased home Nguyen with a base hit to right to give the Wildcats a 9-2 advantage.
 
Humboldt took advantage of a Chico State error to score a run in the bottom of the fifth, but in the top of the sixth the Wildcats blew the game wide open, sending 12 batters to the plate and scoring eight times—Metzger doubled home Alexandria Allen; Bles and Rachael Atkins delivered RBI singles; Bles and Anastacia Alba came home via wild pitches; Stover scored when Willson reached on an error, and Nguyen capped off the rally with a two-run single. When the dust had finally settled, the 'Cats owned a commanding 17-3 lead.
 
Saltos kept Humboldt alive by connecting for her second two-run homer of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Oldwin was able to retire the Lumberjacks without further damage, salting away the Wildcats' 17-5 win, the doubleheader and the series sweep.
 
The Wildcats travel to the Bay Area next weekend to take on the Gators of San Francisco State. The four-game series gets underway Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 noon, with a Saturday twin bill slated to start at 11 a.m.