This past weekend, in the last, most important series of the season against nationally ranked No. 16 UC San Diego, things didn’t just go their way; the SF State softball team made sure things went their way.

“You really feel it and so many times I kept telling them, ‘It’s going to go our way, it’s going to go our way,’ and they made it happen,” coach Cristina Byrne said. “I couldn’t be more proud than I am right now.”

Overall the Gators were able to take three of four from the No. 16 team in the nation in UC San Diego and solidify an eighth place spot in the NCAA Division II West Region.

The California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament this weekend will determine if the Gators will earn a bid in the Western Region for the Division II National Championships. San Bernardino is ranked behind the Gators, but a tournament win could bump SF State out of the playoffs Byrne said.

The top eight in the region receive bids for the playoffs along with the winner of the conference tournament this weekend.

Senior Jordanna Freemer and freshman Kendra Wood were named to the All-CCAA Second Team.

Freemer led the team in average (.350), runs scored (36) and was tied with Wood and Lea Cardenas in home runs (7). She was named to the All-CCAA team for the fourth consecutive year.

“It’s a very deserved spot for her. Freemer really set the tone for us, and did a great job leading these girls this year,” Byrne said.

In her first season, Wood finished tied in home runs while batting .312 with 30 RBIs. On the mound she recorded an 11-8 record with a dominating 1.76 earned run average.

“She bats fourth, she pitches, and she’ll play the outfield. You can’t say enough about her and the tools she’s brought to this team,” Byrne said.

The Gators and the Tritons opened up the series this weekend with a fierce pitchers’ duel as SF State’s Ashley Jackson went toe-to-toe with UC San Diego’s Melissa Ward.

Jackson and Ward kept the game scoreless through the first four innings until Kelsey Wood got ahold of a Ward rise ball and sent it flying over the left field fence to give the Gators a 2-0 lead.

Jackson got the win pitching seven innings giving up one unearned run while striking out nine.

In the nightcap, SF State’s Alyssa Esquibel charged home after the Tritons catcher and pitcher left home plate open, beating the catcher by about a foot to tie the game, 1-1 in the seventh.

In extra innings, more dramatics would follow. After Kendra Wood got a hit Karolyn Gubbine moved to third base then raced home for the victory.

The next day in the first game with the Gators winning 4-3 and runners in scoring position, Jackson struck out the final batter to end the game.

In the final game of the series, a two-run home run by UC San Diego’s Jennifer Maze and a grand slam home run by Allison May gave the Tritons a 7-5 victory in the finale.

Now the Gators sit back and wait for this weekend when the committee is set to decide their fate for the playoffs.

The bracket for the 2008 NCAA Division II National Softball Championship will be released May 4.