CHICO – The Chico State softball team dropped three of four games last weekend to then No. 4-ranked Humboldt State, but the Wildcats returned home feeling good for a couple of reasons: they were just a couple of breaks and a handful of key hits away from actually
winning three of four against the Lumberjacks, and that the 'Cats' offense finally got untracked, scoring 20 runs in the last three games of the series. The Wildcats hope the bats stay hot this weekend, as they hosts Cal State Dominguez Hills this weekend in a four-game series at University Softball Field. Friday's series-opening doubleheader gets underway at 12 p.m., with a Saturday twinbill beginning at 11 a.m.
Chico State enters the series 7-10 on the season and is tied with Cal State East Bay for sixth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 5-7 conference mark. The Wildcats are batting a collective .272, averaging 3.3 runs and 6.5 hits a game, while the pitching staff is ranked seventh in the CCAA with a team earned run average of 4.08.
Individually, Amanda Cordeiro remains in the CCAA top 10 in batting (eighth place, .415) and on-base percentage (second, .520). Alli Cook leads the conference with 10 stolen bases heading into the weekend, and in the pitcher's circle, Alex Molina (4-5) is tied for third in the CCAA in compete games (7), sixth in innings pitched (60.0) and tied for fifth in strikeouts (34).
Cal State Dominguez Hills in 13-7 on the season and enters the weekend in second place in the CCAA, just a game behind conference-leading UC San Diego with a 7-3 conference record. The Toros played two games earlier this week, splitting a Monday doubleheader with Cal State San Bernardino.
Dominguez Hills is one of CCAA's top-hitting teams this season, batting .338 while averaging over six runs and nine hits a game. The Dominguez Hills pitching staff ranks fourth in the conference with a team earned run average of 3.24.
Senior infielder Adriana Sanchez (.420 batting average, five home runs, 20 runs batted in), an All-CCAA Second Team last year, and junior catcher Stephanie Hua (.345, five homers, 17 RBI) are the Toros top run producers, while senior outfielder Catherine Brown is fourth in the CCAA with a .439 batting average. In the pitcher's circle, lefthanded sophomore Jamie Duran (8-4, 2.26 ERA) is the ace of the staff, with senior righty Karen Peterson is 4-1 with a 3.32 ERA.
Dating back to 1983, the Toros hold a 41-38 lead over the Wildcats. Dominguez Hills has won six of the last 10 meetings with Chico State, including three of four last season.
Carl's Jr. is the official game day sponsor of both Friday and Saturday doubleheaders, and invites fans to come out to University Softball Field and root on the Wildcats.
Fans who can't attend the games in person can follow the action online with Live Stats via the Wildcat Athletics website.
