The battle for the NCAA Division II softball championship begins Thursday, and the Chico State Wildcats are hoping that a little home cooking will give them a leg up on a very competitive West Region bracket. The 'Cats, the No. 3 seed in the West, will take on No. 6 Cal State San Bernardino in the three-day, double-elimination tournament at University Softball Field, with first pitch slated for 2:30 p.m.
 
Chico State is hosting one of the two West Regional brackets, with No. 2 seed Humboldt State going up against No. 7 California Baptist at 12 noon.
 
Fans unable to attend the NCAA West Regional in person can follow the action online with Live Stats and live streaming video, both available through the Wildcat Athletics website.

CLICK HERE for Live Stats

CLICK HERE for live streaming video
 
The other NCAA West Regional bracket features No. 1 seed and host school Cal State Monterey Bay, No. 4 Dixie State, No. 5 Sonoma State and No. 8 Western Washington.
 
Chico State is making its third straight appearance in the NCAA Championship Tournament and sixth in the past eight seasons. The Wildcats enter Thursday's clash with the Coyotes 37-16 on the year, and looking to rebound from back-to-back losses to Humboldt State last Sunday that deprived Chico State of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament crown.
 
The 'Cats did fairly well against the three teams on their side of the West Region bracket, with a combined 6-4 record this year against Humboldt, San Bernardino and Cal Baptist. Chico State beat the Lancers in early February as part of the season-opening Desert Stinger Tournament in Las Vegas, and took three of four from the Coyotes in CCAA play March 26-27. The Wildcats are 2-3 against the Lumberjacks.
 
Interestingly, this marks the second straight season that Chico State, Humboldt State and Cal Baptist have been in the same West Regional bracket. The Wildcats knocked out the Lancers last year in Arcata before being eliminated by the Lumberjacks, who went on to win the West Region and reach the NCAA Championship finals.
 
Chico State enters the NCAA West Regional hitting a collective .289 while averaging 4.3 runs and 7.7 hits a game. The Wildcats' pitching staff—led by CCAA Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-West Region selection Haley Gilham—sports a 1.91 earned run average.
 
Cal State San Bernardino, 37-19 overall, was eliminated early in last weekend's CCAA Championship Tournament, dropping consecutive contests to Humboldt State and Cal State Monterey Bay. The Coyotes finished the regular season on an extremely successful roll, winning 19 of their last 21 games to vault into second place in the conference standings.
 
San Bernardino is batting .283 as a team this season, averaging 4.2 runs and 7.2 hits a game. The Coyotes pitching staff owns an impressive 2.18 earned run average, with All-CCAA First Teamer Cassandra Williams posting a 22-12 record and 1.81 ERA.
 
Humboldt State, which faces Cal Baptist in Thursday's first game, is ranked No. 12 in the nation heading into the NCAA West Regional. The Lumberjacks are 38-13 on the season and fresh from capturing the program's fourth CCAA Championship Tournament title. After going just 14-11 in the last six weeks of the regular season, the 'Jacks won four of five to start postseason play.
 
Humboldt averages 5.6 runs and 7.7 hits a game while batting .298 as a team. Senior Madison Williams (20-9, 1.87 ERA) leads a Lumberjacks pitching staff that has fashioned a 2.19 team ERA.
 
Cal Baptist, the No. 19 team in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 Coaches Poll, is 36-11 on the season. The Pacific West Conference regular season champion, the Lancers enter the postseason having lost four of their last six contests. Cal Baptist's last game was a 7-5 victory over Dixie State, which was enough to wrap up the Pac West title.
 
The Lancers' offense is one of the most potent in the West Region. Cal Baptist is batting a collective .317, averaging nearly six runs and nine hits a contest. The Lancers' pitching staff has combined for a stingy 1.81 ERA.
 
Admission to the NCAA West Regional is $5 general, $3 for students and senior citizens. Children ages three to 12 get in for $2, with kids two and under admitted free with a paying adult.
 
2017 NCAA WEST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
May 11-13, University Softball Field
Chico, Calif.
Double-elimination tournament
All times Pacific
 
Thursday, May 11
12:00 p.m.— Game 1: No. 7 California Baptist (36-11) vs. No. 2 Humboldt State (38-13)
2:30 p.m.— Game 2: No. 6 Cal State San Bernardino (37-19) vs. No. 3 Chico State (37-16)
 
Friday, May 12
11 a.m.—Game 3: winner of Game 1 vs. winner of Game 2
1:30 p.m.—Game 4: loser of Game 1 vs. loser of Game 2 (elimination game)
4 p.m.—Game 5: winner of Game 4 vs. loser of Game 3 (elimination game)
 
Saturday, May 13
11 a.m.—Game 6: winner of Game 3 vs. winner of Game 5
1:30 p.m.—Game 7 (if necessary)
 
The winner of the two NCAA West Regionals will meet May 18-19 in the West Super Regional. The winner of the best-of-three matchup will advance to the NCAA Championship Finals May 25-29 in Salem, Virginia.