STOCKTON – The name of the place says it all: Banner Island Ballpark.
The Chico State baseball team and three others will be convene at Banner Island Ballpark, home of the Oakland A’s Single-A affiliate Stockton Ports, to battle for the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament banner beginning Thursday.
Chico State will take on Cal State L.A. Thursday night at 7 p.m., after Cal State Monterey Bay and Sonoma State tangle at 3 p.m. in the double-elimination tournament that will also determine which team earns an automatic berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional.
Every Chico State game will be broadcast live in the Chico area on AM 1290 KPAY and streamed online at www.chicowildcats.com.
Chico State finished the regular season 34-14 overall and 27-13 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Wildcats finished a game behind Cal State L.A. (31-19, 28-12 CCAA) and two behind regular-season champion Cal State Monterey Bay (37-13, 29-11 CCAA). Sonoma State, 32-18 overall and 24-16 in the CCAA finished fourth.
Regional rankings are also of interest during the competition. Cal State Monterey Bay is currently ranked No. 1 in the West, Sonoma State No. 2, Chico State No. 4 and Cal State L.A. No. 7. The tournament champion and five at-large teams will represent the West Region in the NCAA Championship Tournament.
That selection show is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Thursday night’s winners will meet Friday night at 6 with a berth in the title game on the line. Thursday’s losers will play in an elimination game at 2 p.m. on Friday. (See below for the entire schedule).
Chico State is making its 14th CCAA Championship Tournament appearance since joining the conference 15 years ago. The Wildcats are in the postseason for the 17th time in the past 18 seasons.
But despite this amazing run of postseason success (the Wildcats have won two national titles and eight regional championships), the Wildcats have only three CCAA Championship Tournament banners. They’d sure like to make it four.
Thursday, May 9
Game 1 – 3 p.m.: No. 1 Cal State Monterey Bay vs. No. 4 Sonoma State
Game 2 – 7 p.m.: No. 2 Cal State L.A. vs.
No. 3 Chico State
Friday, May 10
Game 3 – 2 p.m.: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (loser eliminated)
Game 4 – 6 p.m.: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Saturday, May 11
Game 5 – 2 p.m.: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (loser eliminated)
Game 6 – 6 p.m.: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
Sunday, May 12 (if necessary)
Game 7 – Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6
All games played at Banner Island Ballpark, Stockton, Calif.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
