CHICO – When the softball coaches of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) released their annual preseason poll, they predicted Chico State to finish the 2013 season in fifth place. Nearly halfway through the conference schedule, that’s exactly where the Wildcats sit, squarely in the mix for one of the four coveted CCAA Championship Tournament bids. The ’Cats look to work their way up the standings this weekend, when they host Cal State East Bay at University Softball Field. The four-game series begins with a Friday doubleheader at 1 p.m., followed by a Saturday twinbill starting at noon.
Chico State is 11-10 so far on the year, and 9-7 in CCAA play. The Wildcats return home after splitting a four-game set last week in Turlock against Cal State Stanislaus. The ’Cats swept the series-opening doubleheader last Friday, only to see the host Warriors return the favor on Saturday.
The Wildcats swung the bats well against Stanislaus, as the team hit a robust .326 over the four-game set. Emily McEnanry and Desiree’ Gonzalez were Chico State’s top run producers, combining to drive in 14 of the Wildcats’ 19 runs during the series.
The ’Cats enter the weekend batting a combined .261, averaging 3.7 runs and 6.8 hits a game. McEnaney owns the team’s highest individual batting average (.368), while Gonzalez is batting .354 and leading the Wildcats in home runs (five), extra base hits (11) and runs batted in (21). Kelli Keefe comes into the East Bay series riding an eight game hitting streak.
The Chico State pitching staff ranks fifth in the CCAA with a 3.17 team earned run average. Junior righthander Alex Molina ranks among the conference’s top 10 pitchers in wins (seven), strikeouts (47) and ERA (2.39).
Cal State East Bay is tied for ninth in the CCAA with a 5-11 conference record; overall, the Pioneers are 7-15. East Bay has faced the top two teams in the conference the past two weekends, and as a result come to Chico having lost five of its last six games, including three of four last week to UC San Diego. East Bay is batting a collective .226 so far this season, averaging 2.6 runs and 5.7 hits a game. Last year the Pioneers were 31-24 and finished sixth in the CCAA.
Senior infielder Taryn Thomas is East Bay’s leading hitter, batting .359 on the season. Senior catcher/infielder Sara Holdridge is hitting .328 and is the Pioneers’ top power threat, with a team-high two home runs and 11 RBI.
Last season Chico State swept a four-game series with East Bay in Hayward April 20-21, and have won 12 of the last 13 meetings between the two teams. Dating back to 1983, the Wildcats hold a 49-32 edge over the Pioneers.
Fans unable to make it to University Softball Field for this weekend’s Chico State-Cal State East Bay softball series can follow the action online via Live Stats.
CLICK HERE for Live Stats
