CHICO – Very few things beat going into conference play with plenty of positive momentum. The Chico State softball team, brimming with confidence thanks to its current three-game winning streak, will look to continue its early-season success in the first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series of 2015, as the Wildcats host Cal State East Bay in a four-game series this weekend at University Softball Field. Doubleheaders are scheduled for Friday and Saturday starting at noon both days.
Chico State heads into conference play on the heels of an impressive doubleheader sweep of Southern Oregon last Sunday. The Wildcats piled up a combined 23 runs and 24 hits against the visiting Raiders, and as a result now rank third in the CCAA with a team batting average of .337. Chico State's pitching staff is also third among the conference's 10 schools with a team earned run average of 1.68.
Emily McEnaney enters the weekend with a share of the top spot in the CCAA batting race with a .667 average, and is second in the conference in on-base percentage (.692) and tied for fourth with Wildcat teammate Tori Zimmermann in slugging percentage (1.000). Zimmermann is fifth in the CCAA in batting (.538) and ninth in on-base percentage (.571).
On the basepaths, Chico State is perfect 11-for-11 in stolen bases, with Ashley Huff second in the CCAA with five swipes. Alli Cook stole three bases over the weekend, giving her 50 in her Wildcat career – she is now just four steals shy of becoming Chico State's all-time stolen base leader.
Brooke Langeloh has shined for the 'Cats in the pitcher's circle, getting off to a 3-0 start and ranking seventh in the CCAA in earned run average (1.87) and eighth in strikeouts (16). Chico State has also been getting it done defensively – the Wildcats are the only team in the conference that has yet to commit an error this season.
Cal State East Bay features a much different look than the Pioneers squad that finished last season 27-26 and fifth in the CCAA. East Bay has eight new players on this year's roster – including seven from the junior college ranks – and the results have been impressive. The Pioneers enter the weekend 8-2 overall and in second place in the CCAA, thanks to taking three of four last week in their conference season opener against Cal State Stanislaus. East Bay, one of the top power-hitting teams in the CCAA (11 home runs in its first 10 games), is batting a collective .276, but averaging a solid 5.7 runs a game. The Pioneers have won three of their four road contests so far this season.
The Wildcats did not fare well the last time they met up with the Pioneers. East Bay effectively squashed Chico State's postseason hopes in 2014, beating the 'Cats three out of four in the final series of the regular season. The last time the Pioneers came to University Softball Field, though, the Wildcats swept a four-game set Mar. 15-16, 2013. Since 1983, Chico State has won 54 of 89 meetings with Cal State East Bay.
Fans unable to make it out to University Softball Field can follow the action online with Live Stats and live streaming video, both available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
