CHICO – With 10 new players – including eight freshmen – the Chico State softball team will have a decidedly different look in 2013. After months of preparation, Head Coach Angel Shamblin’s revamped roster gets its first taste of regular-season action Feb. 2-3, as it travels to Turlock to take part in the Best of the West Invitational, hosted by Cal State Stanislaus.   

The Wildcats will play five games during the weekend tournament, with three games on Saturday and two on Sunday at Turlock’s Pedretti Sports Complex. Chico State will begin play Saturday at 11:15 a.m. against Cal State San Marcos, one of the top-ranked NAIA programs in the nation, followed by a 1:30 p.m. non-conference game against California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) rival Cal State Stanislaus. The ’Cats conclude Saturday’s action with a 6:00 p.m. showdown with San Francisco State.

Sunday the Wildcats take on a pair of teams from the Pacific West Conference. At 10:15 a.m. Chico State squares off against Holy Names University, then wrap up the Best of the West Invitational with a 12:30 p.m. contest versus Dominican University.

This weekend marks the eighth straight year the Wildcats have participated in the Best of the West Invitational. Chico State is the defending champion of the annual event, winning four of its five tournament games in 2012.

Only five Wildcats return from last year’s team that went 35-18 and posted the program’s third straight 30-win season, with junior shortstop Taylor Hanamaikai the lone multi-letterwinner. Also back from the 2012 squad are sophomore infielders Kelli Keefe and Emily McEnaney, sophomore outfielder/catcher Marlee Rettig and senior pitcher Kayla McConnell.

The new additions include a pair of junior college transfers, pitcher Alex Molina (Southwestern Oregon Community College) and utility player Kayla Barber (College of the Sequoias). Some of the freshmen expected to see considerable playing time in 2013 are outfielders Alli Cook (Simi Valley High School) and Amanda Cordeiro (Marina High School), first baseman/designated player Desiree’ Gonzalez (Etiwanda High School) and catcher Brynn Lesovsky (Royal High School).

Chico State was picked to finish fifth in the CCAA in the conference coaches’ annual preseason poll.

Additional tournament information and the complete schedule for this weekend’s games can be found on the official Best of the West Invitational web page.