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Wildcats home to host Sonoma State Friday and Saturday
Bec Johnson and the Wildcats take on CCAA-leading Sonoma State this Friday and Saturday at University Softball Field.
3/18/2010 10:34:04 AM
CHICO – The Chico State softball team has made great strides this season in revitalizing a program that has struggled the past few years – nearly halfway into the 2010 campaign, the Wildcats are two games above .500 overall and more than holding their own against California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) opponents. This weekend should serve as a true test of exactly how far the ’Cats have progressed, as Chico State hosts conference leader Sonoma State in doubleheader action Friday and Saturday at University Softball Field.
The Wildcats enter their four-game series with the Seawolves 11-9 on the season, and occupying seventh place in the CCAA with an 8-8 conference mark. Chico State is in the mix for a CCAA Championship Tournament berth, sitting just one game behind San Francisco State, Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State Dominguez Hills for fourth place in the conference standings. The ’Cats return home after splitting a four-game set in Arcata against Humboldt State Sunday and Monday (coming within six outs of taking three of the four contests), kicking off a stretch that will see Chico State play at least 14 games over the next 15 days.
The ’Cats rank eighth in the CCAA with a .251 team batting average, scoring over three runs and six hits per contest. Charlotte Honciano is Chico State’s top hitter, batting .318 entering the weekend; she also tops the team in hits (21), stolen bases (6) and on-base percentage (.400). Sam Quadt is hitting at a .313 clip and is among the top five in the CCAA with six doubles on the year. Freshman righthander Kacie McCarthy leads the Wildcats’ pitching staff with five wins, six complete games, two shutouts and a 2.64 earned run average.
Sonoma State, ranked 21st in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll, is off to its best start in school history, sporting an 18-5 overall record and 13-3 mark in the CCAA. The Seawolves sit atop the conference standings, with a two game lead over second place Cal State Monterey Bay. Sonoma State, which just two years ago languished in the CCAA cellar, currently leads the conference in nine offensive categories, including batting average (.330), slugging percentage (.529), on base percentage (.399), runs scored (125), runs batted in (118), doubles (39), triples (6), home runs (24), and total bases (327). Junior outfielder LeeAnn Stroud is the CCAA’s top hitter, batting .481, while freshman righthander Samantha Lipperd is one of two pitchers in the conference with 10 wins on the season.
All-time, Sonoma State has won 72 of 121 meetings with Chico State. Last season the Seawolves won four of the six games played against the Wildcats.
Friday’s series-opening doubleheader is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m., with the first game of Saturday’s twinbill getting underway at noon at University Softball Field.
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Wildcats of the Week
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Softball
Kacie McCarthy’s freshman season as a Wildcat has been filled with highlights, but the Shingletown native turned in her most memorable performances of the year last weekend in the NCAA West Sub-Regional at Sonoma State, posting three straight victories and helping Chico State advance to the West Super Regional in Hawaii. The Wildcats are just two wins away from reaching the Division II College World Series, thanks in large part to the pitching prowess of McCarthy, who is the latest recipient of Wildcat of the Week honors.
In Friday’s Sub-Regional opener, McCarthy took over for Chico State starter Jessica McDermott and tossed seven-and-a-third innings of relief, striking out a career-high 11 batters and earning the win as the Wildcats beat 15th ranked Grand Canyon University 5-4 in eight innings. In Saturday’s winner’s bracket game versus No. 14 Sonoma State, McCarthy twirled a one-hit shutout in Chico State’s 7-0 victory over the host Seawolves. Sunday McCarthy completed the postseason trifecta, going the distance for the 18th time this year and getting credit for the “W” as the ’Cats rallied back from three runs down to score four times in the bottom of the sixth inning and pull out a 4-3 victory over Dixie State to sweep through the Sub-Regional and advance to this weekend’s West Super Regional.
McCarthy, now 16-10 on the season, lowered her season ERA to 1.92 with the three weekend wins and is ranked third among California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) pitchers. She also is sixth in the conference in victories and innings pitched (164.1). She leads the Wildcats in wins, complete games, innings pitched and appearances (29).
Chico State takes on the No. 3 ranked Sea Warriors of Hawaii Pacific Friday at 5 p.m. Pacific time in the opener of the West Super Regional in Kaneohe, Hawaii. The winner of the best-of-three set will advance to the Division II College World Series May 27-31 in St. Joseph, Missouri.
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Men's Track
As a decathlete, Brian Beeman is used to running all over the place. But he took it to a new level last week. After competing in the decathlon, high jump and javelin to help lead the Chico State men’s track & field team to the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship March 6-8, he got on a bus and arrived back in Chico in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Then, he turned around to head back to Southern California for the Claremont Classic Decathlon and turned in an NCAA Provisional Qualifying mark and personal best score of 6,512 on Thursday and Friday.
That iron-man feet has earned him Wildcat of the Week honors.
Beeman finished sixth at the Burns Track and Field Complex while logging the 15th best score in the nation this year. He won the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:31.75, placed third in the 400-meter dash (51.19 seconds) and tied for third in the high jump (6-feet-02.75).
Beeman and a number of his Wildcats teammates now await Wednesday morning’s NCAA Track and Field Championships selection show to found out if he’s earned a berth to the National Championships May 27-29 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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7.1.10 | Softball
CHICO – With the recent addition of three junior college transfers, Chico State softball Head Coach Angel Shamblin continues to stockpile some very promising talent for the 2011 season. Fullerton College infielders Diana Payan and Jackie Munoz, along with Grossmont College outfielder Britt Wright, have each signed their National Letter of Intent to play for the Wildcats next season.
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6.3.10 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – From going unranked throughout the 2010 season to coming within one win of eliminating the eventual national champions and reaching the College World Series, the Chico State softball team finally received the recognition it deserved. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) released its final Top 25 poll of the year Thursday, with Angel Shamblin’s Wildcats earning the No. 17 ranking in the country.
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5.22.10 | Softball
KANEOHE, Hawaii – The Chico State softball team came tantalizingly close to reaching the NCAA Division II College World Series, with two chances to win one game Saturday against No. 3 Hawaii Pacific and earn a spot as one of the Elite 8 in St. Joseph, Missouri. But the host Sea Warriors saw to it that the Wildcats returned to the mainland short of their ultimate goal, beating the ’Cats 11-2 and 5-3 Saturday at Howard A. Okita Field to capture the West Regional crown and abruptly end Chico State’s season.
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5.21.10 | Softball
KANEOHE, Hawaii – The Chico State softball team kept its postseason train a-rollin’ Friday, downing Hawaii Pacific University 5-0 Friday to take the opener of the best-of-three NCAA West Super Regional at Okita Field in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Freshman righthander Kacie McCarthy tossed a complete game four-hitter and was supported by a 10-hit Chico State attack as the ’Cats posted their fourth straight postseason win, and now sit in a very enviable position – Chico State has two chances Saturday to win one game and advance to the NCAA Division II College World Series. Saturday's action begins at 2 p.m. PDT...you can here it live by clicking here.
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5.20.10 | Softball
HONOLULU – The Chico State softball team touched down safely on Oahu Wednesday, and before concentrating on the task at hand – a matchup with the No. 3 ranked Sea Warriors of Hawaii Pacific in the NCAA West Super Regional – the Wildcats took time to acclimate themselves to the three-hour time change and immerse themselves in some of the island culture. Players and coaches attended a traditional Hawaiian luau Wednesday night, with the knowledge that the ’Cats are just two victories away from reaching the NCAA Division II College World Series for the first time since 2002. The opener of the best-of-three Super Regional is scheduled for 5 p.m. PDT Friday, and the game will be broadcast live on the Internet. You can hear all the action by clicking here.
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5.20.10 | Softball
CHICO – In what can only be described as a career year for senior Charlotte Honciano, the leader of the Chico State softball team was the recipient of two postseason awards Thursday as she and the Wildcats made final preparations in Hawaii for Friday’s NCAA West Super Regional against Hawaii Pacific. The ’Cats second sacker, a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Conference first team selection earlier this month, was among 13 athletes to be named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-West Regional first team, while also earning Daktronics West Region second team honors.
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5.18.10 | Softball
Kacie McCarthy’s freshman season as a Wildcat has been filled with highlights, but the Shingletown native turned in her most memorable performances of the year last weekend in the NCAA West Sub-Regional at Sonoma State, posting three straight victories and helping Chico State advance to the West Super Regional in Hawaii. The Wildcats are just two wins away from reaching the Division II College World Series, thanks in large part to the pitching prowess of McCarthy, who is the latest recipient of Wildcat of the Week honors.
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