CHICO – The Chico State softball team – with five tournament games and nearly two weeks of practice under its belt – officially jumps into the conference fire this weekend, as the Wildcats travel to southern California to open California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play with a four-game series against last season’s co-champion, Cal State Dominguez Hills. Friday’s series-opening doubleheader gets underway at 11 a.m., with a Saturday twinbill also slated for 11:00.

The ’Cats are 2-3 on the season, with both wins coming on the final day of the recent Mizuno Best of the West Invitational in Turlock.

Cal State Dominguez Hills is 8-2 so far in 2013 and are coming off a 4-1 showing in last weekend’s Desert Stinger Tournament in Las Vegas. The Toros, 45-15 in 2012, return 16 players from the team that reached the NCAA Championship Tournament West Region finals.

Cal State Dominguez Hills is ranked No. 11 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) preseason poll and are favored to win this season’s CCAA title.

The Wildcats and Toros split a four-game series last April at University Softball Field. Chico State has won eight of the last 13 meetings between the two teams dating back to 2010, but the Toros hold a slim 38-37 lead in the all-time series.

All four games of this weekend’s Chico State-Cal State Dominguez Hills softball series will be broadcast live on the internet courtesy of the Toros Sports Network. Live Stats will also be available online.

CLICK HERE for Live Stats

CLICK HERE for Toros Sports Network online audio broadcast