CHICO – It’s been five years since the Chico State softball team has appeared in NCAA postseason play and eight years since the Wildcats advanced all the way to the national championship round, but the 2010 edition of the ’Cats aren’t focused on what went on before…they’re looking to write their own piece of Chico State history as they travel to Rohnert Park to compete in the NCAA West Regional at Sonoma State’s Seawolf Field. The Wildcats, the No. 6 seed in the West, will take on third seeded Grand Canyon University Friday at 1:30 p.m. in the four-team, double elimination tournament bracket. The game will be broadcast live on the Internet at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wildcatathletics.

In Friday’s other opening round contest, host Sonoma State, the West’s No.2 seed, will square off against No. 7 Dixie State at 4 p.m. In addition to Friday’s Internet broadcast, Live Stats will be available for all games of the NCAA West Regional. For complete details, click here to visit Tournament Central.

Friday’s West Regional meeting will mark the second time this season Chico State and Grand Canyon have played each other – the Wildcats beat the Antelopes 1-0 March 27 during the Mizuno Tournament of Champions in Turlock. In that game, Wildcats righthander Jessica McDermott twirled a four-hit, complete game shutout, striking out eight.

Chico State, 29-19 on the year, enters the West Regional after dropping two out of three in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament April 30-May 1. After winning their opener 5-0 versus Cal State Monterey Bay, the Wildcats were eliminated with back-to-back losses against Cal State Dominguez Hills and eventual tourney winner Sonoma State. Despite the twin setbacks, Chico State’s overall record was still good enough to advance the ’Cats into the NCAA West Regional for the first time since 2005.

As they have all year, the Wildcats will be led by senior second baseman Charlotte Honciano. The All-CCAA first team selection is fifth in the conference with a .375 batting average, and paces the ’Cats in hits (60), home runs (3), extra base hits (13) and stolen bases (10), and has hit safely in 11 of her last 13 games. Honciano needs just one knock this weekend to tie Courtney Kerley for the all-time Chico State record for most hits in a season.

Christine Johnson enters the NCAA West Regional swinging a hot bat – the senior outfielder has at least one hit in 10 of her last 11 games and is batting .346 for the year. Sam Quadt, a CCAA All-Tournament pick, has six hits in her last 12 at-bats and is hitting .292 on the season; she leads the Wildcats with 21 RBI.

McDermott (14-7 record, 2.21 ERA) is coming off a dominant April which saw the San Diego sophomore rack up seven victories, toss nine straight complete games, strike out 52 batters in 62 innings of work and allow just five earned runs (a 0.56 ERA) during that stretch. Kacie McCarthy (13-10, 2.06 ERA) has been nearly as effective, winning four straight decisions down the stretch and stringing together six complete games in April.

Grand Canyon enters the West Regional 42-11 on the year and ranked No. 13 in the nation by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). The Antelopes, who finished third in the Pacific West Conference, wrapped up the regular season on a very positive roll, winning eight straight. Despite being shut out by Chico State back in March, Grand Canyon has an extremely potent offensive, hitting .359 as a team this year and leading the Pac West with a scoring average of 7.9 runs a contest. The Antelopes live up to their nickname when it comes to base stealing – Grand Canyon swiped 98 bases this season, with three players (Teddy Barry, Nikki Lorenzi and Kara Holtorf) each stealing at least 20 bases on the year.

Barry, a junior outfielder who won both the Pac West Player and Newcomer of the Year awards, hit .459 on the season and led the conference with 14 home runs and 64 RBI. Senior outfielder Tracy Lubken batted .397 for the Antelopes while belting six round-trippers and driving in 61 runs. Senior shortstop Kelli Bridges hit .390 for Grand Canyon with three homers and 57 RBI.

The Antelopes pitching staff is led by sophomore Ivy Campas, who posted a 23-5 record with a 2.40 ERA. Senior Amy Searcy also put up some impressive numbers, going 13-6 with a 3.33 ERA. Grand Canyon finished fifth in the Pac West Conference with a 2.94 team ERA.

The winner of Friday’s Chico State-Grand Canyon contest will face the winner of Sonoma State-Dixie State Saturday at 11 a.m. in the West Regional winner’s bracket game, while Friday’s two losing teams will face off in a tournament elimination game Saturday 1:30 p.m.