The Chico State softball team will open the 2017 season this weekend by making their first-ever appearance in the Desert Stinger Tournament, and the three-day event promises to offer up some top-notch competition before the Wildcats jump straight into California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) next week. The 'Cats will play five games in all at Majestic Park, with two contests slated for Friday, two on Saturday and a single game on Super Bowl Sunday.
 
Chico State opens the Desert Stinger against Augustana (S.D.) Friday at 11:30 a.m., then faces Western Oregon at 4:30 p.m. Saturday the Wildcats go head-to-head with Western New Mexico at 4:30 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. tilt versus California Baptist. The 'Cats conclude the tournament with an 11:30 a.m. game Sunday against host school Montana State-Billings.

 

Fans can keep up with the action for all five Chico State softball games via Live Stats, available through the Wildcat Athletics website. Live streaming video for Sunday's game against Montana State-Billings will also be available online.
 
The Desert Stinger Tournament features 24 teams from six different conferences within the NCAA Division II West, Central and South Central Regions. In addition to the Wildcats, six other CCAA teams will compete (Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State San Bernardino, Humboldt State, Sonoma State and Stanislaus State), as well as five teams from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC), four from both the Pacific West Conference and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), three from the Lone Star Conference and one from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).
 
For more information, visit the official Desert Stinger Softball Tournament home page by CLICKING HERE.
 
Chico State brings back 10 players from last year's 40-16 team that reached the CCAA Tournament final and the NCAA Championship Tournament while tying the school record for most single-season victories.
 
The Wildcats are led by sophomore outfielder and 2016 All-CCAA selection Ari Marsh (.293 batting average, two home runs, 23 runs batted last season) and junior right-handed pitcher Haley Gilham (17-7, 115 strikeouts, 1.90 ERA). Other returners expected to make big contributions are senior outfielder Sarah Galaviz (.319 BA) and senior pitcher/infielder Cailin Garmon (.306 BA, 19 stolen bases).
 
Among the eight newcomers hoping to make an immediate impact for the 'Cats are freshman first baseman Olivia Dallara (career .481 BA, 22 home runs at San Rafael High School), freshman infielder/outfielder Kristin Worley (who posted an eye-popping .769 average as a senior last year at Anaheim's Savanna High School), freshman left-handed pitcher Samantha Mulock (19 wins in two varsity seasons at Westview High School in San Diego) and junior transfer Lynea Klemmedson (the right-hander won seven games as a freshman and produced 12 homers and 60 RBI in two seasons at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona).  
 
Here are thumbnail sketches of Chico State's five Desert Stinger opponents:
 
Augustana University (Friday, 11:30 a.m.) is coming off a 35-19 record in 2016 and a fourth place finish in the NSIC. The Vikings have been among the powerhouse teams of the NCAA Central Region, winning over 200 games over the last five seasons and reaching the Division II College World Series in 2012. Chico State has won two of the three prior meetings between the two teams, but Friday will mark the first time they've faced each other since 2003.
 
Western Oregon (Friday, 4:30 p.m.) finished 31-24 last season and earned a share of second place in the GNAC. The Wildcats hold a 9-2 lead in the all-time series; Chico State won the most recent meeting with the Wolves in March, 2015 at the Tournament of Champions in Turlock.
 
Western New Mexico (Saturday, 4:30 p.m.) posted a 21-34 record in 2016 and finished ninth in the RMAC before moving to the Lone Star Conference this season. The Mustangs have won five of the eight meetings against Chico State, but the two teams have not played each other since April, 2005.
 
California Baptist (Saturday, 7 p.m.) fashioned a 42-12 record in 2016 and tied for second place in the Pac West standings. The Wildcats and Lancers split a pair of matchups last May at the NCAA Championship Tournament West Sub-Regional—after falling 4-1 in the tournament opener, the 'Cats came back to eliminate Cal Baptist 6-0 on May 6. The Lancers hold a 5-2 lead in the all-time series.
 
Montana State-Billings (Sunday, 11:30 a.m.) is looking to improve on last season's 14-36 record and last place finish in the GNAC. The last time the Wildcats and Yellowjackets played was in 2015 at the Tournament of Champions (Chico State won 9-1). Chico State has won four of the previous seven meetings.