San Francisco, Calif. – The SF State softball team continues its brutal stretch, playing its third-straight ranked opponent on Saturday.  The Gators will take on No. 3 Cal Baptist in a non-conference double header on Saturday with game one slated for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch. 

The Gators enter the two game series with an overall record of 7-16 and are currently mired in a season-long five game losing streak.  However, the negatives end there, as on the whole SF State has played some of its best ball of the season.

Last week, taking on two of the better teams in the west the Gators pitching staff held their own.  Starter Emily Gibson threw a complete game, six-hit, shutout against No. 7 Humboldt State to open that series.  In the two games against then ranked No. 22 Dixie State, the Gators pitching staff held the Red Storm to eight runs over two games.  DSU entered Tuesday's contests averaging over seven runs a game.

Offensively, the Gators are coming to life as well, before the second game on Tuesday they had scored first in five-consecutive games.  As a team, the squad is hitting .267 with red-hot Courtney Gravel pacing the team.  She is hitting .403 overall and riding a 10-game hitting streak that dates back to February 22. Over her last six games she has gone 10-for-21, a .476 average.

In the circle SF State sports a staff ERA of 4.95, in 141.1 innings pitched they have surrendered 206 hits and 100 earned runs while striking out 56.  Gibson leads the team in wins (4), ERA (4.43), innings pitched (53.2) and strike outs (28).  However, freshman lefty Megan Clark and fellow sophomore Jenny Obbema have been pitching well of late as well.

Cal Baptist enters Saturday's double-header with an overall record of 20-7 and is currently ranked No. 3 according to the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association.  The Lancers started the season going 14-3, but have gone just 6-4 over their last 10 games, including a 2-2 split against Dixie State on the road.

As a team, the Lancers are hitting .328 as a team, with three starters hitting over .400.  Leading the team is senior outfielder Marshean August, who is hitting .430 with 37 hits, eight doubles, eight home runs and 31 runs driven in.  The eight home runs are tied for 12^th in the country.

In the circle, the Lancers sport a staff ERA of 3.76.  Cal Baptist has gone with just two pitchers all year, leading the team is sophomore Belinda Renne who is 114-3 with a 2.85 ERA.  The 14 wins are tied for second in the country.  In 103.1 innings pitched she has allowed 110 hits, 42 runs with 34 walks and 60 strike outs.

Live stats and live video will be provided for both games on Saturday.  They can be accessed by clicking on the links at the softball schedule page at www.sfstategators.com.  For up to the minute updates on Gators' softball and all of SF State's athletic teams be sure to follow the Gators on twitter @sfstategators.