CHICO – The Chico State softball team didn’t exactly have much time to savor Wednesday’s doubleheader sweep and series win over Cal State East Bay. Less than 18 hours after recording the final out, the Wildcats had their equipment bags packed and were on the road bright and early Thursday morning, heading down to southern California for a four-game series with Cal State San Bernardino beginning with a doubleheader Friday at 11 a.m. at Coyote Field. A second twinbill is slated for 11 a.m. on Saturday.
Chico State, on the strength of its just-completed 5-3 homestand, is 12-5 on the season and sits in third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 9-3 conference mark. After splitting a four-game set with San Francisco State last weekend, the Wildcats took three of four from Cal State East Bay, including 6-2 and 4-2 victories Wednesday at University Softball Field. This weekend’s series against San Bernardino will put the finishing touches on a grueling 12-game, nine-day stretch for the ’Cats.
The Wildcats have played well on the road so far this season, winning seven of nine, and take a modest three-game winning streak into their series with the Coyotes. Chico State’s offense is hitting .281 as a team, averaging 3.7 runs and 7.2 hits a game. Four Wildcats – Britt Wright (.393), Hailey Stockman (.362), Diana Payan (.356) and Sam Baker (.333) – are hitting over .300, with Stockman (three home runs, 14 runs batted in) averaging nearly one RBI per game. Baker (9-2, 1.32 earned run average, 90 strikeouts in just 69 innings) is the ace of a Chico State pitching staff that boasts a team ERA of 2.06.
Cal State San Bernardino enters the weekend series with the Wildcats with a 12-10 overall record and a share of fourth place with Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State Stanislaus in the CCAA with an 8-8 conference mark. The Coyotes began the season hot, fashioning an early 11-3 record, but since then have lost seven of their last eight, including three of four last weekend to Sonoma State. Despite its recent skid, San Bernardino has yet to be beaten at home this season, winning all six of their games at Coyote Field.
San Bernardino is a team that produces an impressive amount of offense – the Coyotes average 4.5 runs and 7.6 hits a game, while collectively hitting .280. San Bernardino features no less than four All-CCAA players from a year ago: senior outfielder Jacquelyn Holtzclaw is the team’s top hitter (.357) and is one of the conference’s leading base stealers with 13 swipes on the season; junior third baseman Alex Mitchell is batting .338; and sophomore infielder Britney Butler is hitting at a .310 clip. Sophomore infielder Alyssa Flores is the Coyotes’ top power threat, leading the team with two home runs and 19 RBI.
San Bernardino’s pitching staff ranks eighth in the CCAA with a team ERA of 3.70. Sophomore righthander Erica Prentice is 3-1 on the year with a 3.00 ERA, while senior lefty Cassidy Lee is 4-4 with six complete games and a team-high 42 strikeouts on the season.
The Coyotes took two of three from the Wildcats last year in a marathon tripleheader April 3 at University Softball Field. San Bernardino has won seven of the last 10 meetings with Chico State and holds a 30-27 edge in the all-time series between the two teams.
