CHICO – The Chico State softball team wraps up the home portion of its 2012 season this weekend against Cal State San Bernardino, and even with six road games still left on the schedule, the Wildcats can punch their ticket to the postseason with a series sweep over the visiting Coyotes. The four-game set is scheduled to get underway with a doubleheader Friday at 1 p.m. at University Softball Field, followed by a Senior Day Saturday twinbill at 11 a.m.
Chico State, ranked No. 3 among West Region teams and 19th in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 poll, is 27-13 on the season and in fourth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with an 18-8 conference mark. The Wildcats are in the driver’s seat to reach the postseason for the third straight year – with 10 games to play, the team’s magic number for clinching a berth in the upcoming CCAA Championship Tournament is three over Sonoma State and four over Cal State East Bay. Following this weekend’s San Bernardino series, the ’Cats finish the regular season with a road doubleheader next Wednesday against Cal State Monterey Bay and a four-game set in Hayward April 20-21 versus East Bay.
The Wildcats welcome in the Coyotes after splitting a doubleheader last weekend against No. 10 Cal State Dominguez Hills. The two wins (a six-inning perfect game and a one-hit shutout by Sam Baker) raised Chico State’s home record to 10-4, assuring the ’Cats of a winning record and double digit victories at University Softball Field for the third straight year.
Chico State enters the weekend averaging over five runs and a conference-best 8.45 hits a game, while ranking third amongst CCAA teams with a collective .305 batting average. The Wildcat pitching staff’s team earned run average of 2.76 is fifth-best in the conference.
Individually, the ’Cats boast three of the top nine hitters in the CCAA: Sam Quadt (second, .414), Britt Wright (seventh, .382) and Diana Payan (ninth, .375). Hailey Stockman is batting .336, is second in the conference with 44 runs batted in, and in the CCAA top 10 in slugging percentage (.656), doubles (11) and total bases (80). Bianca Lopez leads the conference – and is fourth in the nation – with 18 sacrifice bunts.
In the pitcher’s circle, Baker has been on fire, winning her last four decisions while twirling three straight shutouts. As a result, Baker is sixth in the CCAA with 13 wins, and is ranked in the top 10 in strikeouts (fourth, 125), opposing batting average (fourth, .192), ERA (sixth, 1.90), innings pitched (seventh, 121.2). Jessica McDermott and Kayla McConnell have combined for 13 additional wins for the Wildcats.
After reaching the NCAA West Super Regional a year ago, Cal State San Bernardino has struggled this season – heading into the weekend, the Coyotes are 17-26 overall and seventh in the CCAA with a 10-18 conference mark. Cal State San Bernardino comes to Chico having lost four of its last five games, including three of four last weekend against Cal State East Bay. The Coyotes, who have dropped 15 of 25 on the road, are 10-20 since starting the season with a 7-6 record.
Though the wins and losses don’t reflect it, Cal State San Bernardino is one of the better hitting teams in the CCAA. The Coyotes are second in the conference with a .306 team batting average, averaging 4.7 runs and nearly eight hits a game. San Bernardino is led by senior third baseman Alex Mitchell, who is fifth in the CCAA with a .394 batting average. Junior infielder Britney Butler, an All-CCAA Second Team selection last season, is the Coyotes’ chief run producer, ranking among the conference’s top power hitters with 12 home runs and 43 runs batted in while batting .361. When they’re on the basepaths, Mitchell, Butler and freshman outfielder Charlotte Galzote are always a threat to run, combining to steal 43 bases so far this season.
San Bernardino’s pitching, though, has not enjoyed a lot of success – the Coyotes are ranked ninth in the CCAA with a team ERA of 5.63. The staff is anchored by senior righthander Carly Land (7-11, 5.35 ERA) and freshman righty Abreanna Landeros (6-6, 6.18 ERA).
Dating back to 1983, the Coyotes hold a 32-29 lead over the Wildcats, but San Bernardino has dominated the all-time series over the past several years, beating Chico State in 15 of the last 20 meetings. The two teams split a four-game series in San Bernardino last season.
Eleven Chico State seniors will be playing their final games at University Softball Field this weekend, and will be honored Saturday in a special pre-doubleheader ceremony beginning at 10:30 a.m. Among the Wildcats in the spotlight: Jackie Munoz, Hailey Stockman, Diana Payan, Britt Wright, Bianca Lopez and Sam Baker, along with fourth-year seniors Jessie Minch, Rachel Failla, Kelly Head, Jessica McDermott and Sam Quadt.
Fans unable to attend either of the two Chico State-Cal State San Bernardino doubleheaders this weekend can
follow the action online via Live Stats, available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
