STOCKTON – If the Chico State baseball team wants to advance to the dessert portion of the postseason, it's time for the Wildcats to start eating.
 
Chico State opens California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament play Wednesday at 11 a.m. against Cal Poly Pomona. The four-day, double-elimination tournament will decide the CCAA's automatic qualifier into the NCAA Championship Tournament.
 
Every Chico State postseason game will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY. Fans can also stream the audio online and follow livestats via links on the calendar section and baseball schedule page at www.chicowildcats.com.
 
No one currently knows whether the Wildcats need the auto spot to advance. The picture will become clearer Wednesday when the latest NCAA Regional Rankings are released. But that is unlikely to happen before the Wildcats take the field. What is known is that a deep run in this week's six-team tournament at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton would certainly help the Wildcats' chances.
 
The ingredients are there for Chico State, which finished the regular season 31-19 and finished a half-game out of first place in the CCAA's North Division at 23-17 in conference play. The Wildcats were No. 5 in the regional rankings last week, but lost three of four at Stanislaus State over the weekend and 13 of their last 22 after a spectacular 22-6 start.
 
They just left one or two of those ingredients on the shelf too many times during the stretch run.
 
Imagine having everything you need to build a superior cheeseburger: golden, pillowy buns; quality fresh beef seasoned just right; a thick slice of cheese, aged to perfection.
 
Now imagine this: plowing through that pillowy bun only to chomp down on a huge slice of onion, covered in cheese; Or trying to hold a cheese-covered hamburger patty, slathered in your favorite hot sauces, without the help of a bun; or biting into that perfect cheeseburger only to realize that the guy working the grill didn't give you any cheese at all.
 
Fans of the Chico State baseball team get where this is going: The buns are there. The cheese is there. The meat is there.
 
The Wildcats' offense has looked like the best Dave Taylor has ever assembled for much of the season. Three different starting pitchers – Clayton Gelfand, Dalton Erb and Hunter Haworth – have produced CCAA Pitcher of the Week performances. And the defense, especially in the outfield, has produced some of the best plays ever made at Nettleton Stadium.
 
But all too often over the last few weeks, the Wildcats whiffed on one of the key ingredients.
 
So Head Coach Dave Taylor's message to his team following Tuesday's practice session was something like this: "Do your job and do it well, like we all know you can. And if you all do your job well, we can do great things together."
 
The second course will be served next week at the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional. It sure would be sweet if the Wildcats were there.
 
2016 CCAA Championship Tournament
Banner Island Ballpark – Stockton, California

Wednesday, May 11
Game 1 – 11:00 a.m.	No. 6 Chico State vs. No. 1 Cal Poly Pomona
Game 2 – 3:00 p.m.	No. 5 Cal State San Bernardino vs. No. 2 Cal State East Bay
Game 3 – 7:00 p.m.	No. 4 UC San Diego vs. No. 3 Cal State Monterey Bay
Thursday, May 12
Game 4 – 11:00 a.m.	Loser of game 1 vs. Loser of game 2 (elimination game)
Game 5 – 3:00 p.m.	Winner of game 1 vs. Loser of game 3 (possible elimination)
Game 6 – 7:00 p.m.	Winner of game 2 vs. Winner of game 3
Friday, May 13	(if four teams remain after game 6)
Game 7 – 3:00 p.m.	Winner of game 5 vs. Winner of game 6
Game 8 – 3:00 p.m.	Winner of game 4 vs. Loser of game 6
Game 9 – 7:00 p.m.	Loser of game 7 vs. Winner of game 8
	(if five teams remain after game 6 and two teams remain after game 9)
Game 7 – 11:00 a.m.	Loser of game 5 vs. Loser of game 6
Game 8 – 3:00 p.m.	Winner of game 4 vs. Winner of game 5
Game 9 – 7:00 p.m.	Winner of game 6 vs. Winner of game 7
	(if five teams remain after game 6 and three teams remain after game 9)
Game 7 – 11:00 a.m.	Loser of game 5 vs. Loser of game 6
Game 8 – 3:00 p.m.	Winner of game 4 vs. Winner of game 5
Game 9 – 7:00 p.m.	Winner of game 6 vs. Winner of game 7
Saturday, May 14	(if four teams remain after game 6)
Game 10 – 12:00 p.m.	Champinship: Winner of game 7 vs. Winner of game 9
Game 11 – 4:00 p.m.	If-necessary
	(if five teams remain after game 6 and two teams remain after game 9)
Game 10 – 12:00 p.m.	Champinship: Winner of game 7 vs. Winner of game 9
Game 11 – 4:00 p.m.	If-necessary
	(if five teams remain after game 6 and three teams remain after game 9)
Game 10 – 12:00 p.m.	Winner of game 8 vs. Loser of game 9
Game 11 – 4:00 p.m.	Winner of game 9 vs. Winner of game 10

BRACKET - If four teams remain after Game 6

BRACKET - If five teams remain after Game 6 and two after Game 5

BRACKET - If five teams remain after Game 6 and thre after Game 5