AZUSA, Calif. – The sunshine was bright. The feelings were sublime. The Chico State baseball team's win in the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional Championship game was unprecedented. The tears were rolling.
 
The date was May 18, 1997. The place was Nettleton Stadium. The 11–5 win over Fort Hays State gave Chico State its first regional baseball title. It was the first of many. Twenty years later, the Wildcats are still rolling.
 
Chico State (45-9) will begin its quest to win its 10^th NCAA Regional title on the 20^th anniversary of its first, with a game against Cal Poly Pomona Thursday at 3 p.m. The Wildcats are the top seed in the six-team, double-elimination tournament to be held Thursday through Monday at the Cougar Baseball Complex on the campus of Azusa Pacific University. They are ranked No. 3 in the nation after winning the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular-season and Tournament titles.
 
The Wildcats are making their 19^th NCAA Championship Tournament appearance, including their 17^th in the past 22 seasons. They have won nine West Region titles: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012, and 2014. The 1997 and 1999 Wildcats, whose pitching coach was current Wildcats Head Coach Dave Taylor, went on to win NCAA titles.
 
The Wildcats would love to win another. But first they will have to get through what some consider the nation's toughest regional. They open the regional against a familiar opponent. They've won three of four against Cal Poly Pomona this season, including a come-from-behind 8–7 win in 10 innings in last week's CCAA Tournament. The two-time defending West Region Champion Broncos are the No. 6 seed in the West. In other first-round matchups, No. 2 seed Azusa Pacific will play No. 5 California Baptist at 11 a.m., and No. 3 seed Dixie State will square off against No. 4 seed UC San Diego at 7 p.m.
 
The winner of Thursday's Chico State-Cal Poly Pomona will take on the UC San Diego-Dixie State loser Friday at 3 p.m. The loser will face the Azusa Pacific-Cal Baptist loser at 11 a.m.
 
The winner of the West Region title will represent the West at the NCAA Championship Finals May 27-June 3 at the Ballpark in Grand Prairie in Grand Prairie, Texas.
 
Radio / Live Stream / Live Stats
Every Chico State postseason game will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY. Links to the online stream, video stream, and live stats are available at www.chicowildcats.com in the calendar section on the homepage and on the baseball schedule page.

Throughout the event individuals wishing to watch the game or follow the live stats can do so for free at: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/apu/


'CAT SCRATCHES
 
TRACKING 10: The Wildcats are after their 10th NCAA Championship Tournament Regional title in the past 21 seasons. They've won the title 9 times out of the last 16 they made the tournament field. Chico State last won the title in 2014. The Wildcats are 41-21 all time in regional competition and 57-33 overall in the NCAA Championship Tournament.
 
BUCKIN' THE BRONCOS: Chico State is 7-3 all-time against Cal Poly Pomona in the postseason, including an 8-7 win in 10 innings last Friday at the CCAA Tournament. However, they lost their lone NCAA matchup in the opening round of last season's Regional.
 
VERSUS THE REST: The Wildcats are 4-0 vs. UC San Diego (8-10 in all postseason games, including 1-1 this season), 4-1 vs. Dixie State, and 1-1 vs. Cal Baptist in NCAA Tournament play. They have not faced Azusa Pacific.
 
BANNER SEASON: This marked the 2nd time the Wildcats captured the CCAA's regular-season and tournament titles, and first since 2000.
 
CCAA HISTORY: The Wildcats' 34-4 conference record marks the top winning percentage on record by a CCAA baseball team.
 
BREAKING THE 'CATS CEILING: The Wildcats' regular-season winning % was their best since 2002 and 2nd best ever. Their conference mark was the program's best since the 1953 squad went 10-0.
 
POWERED BY AC: The Wildcats wear the No. 1 of teammate Andru Cardenas during batting practice in honor of their 2nd baseman who started 26 games before being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body's immune system attacks its nerves. His off-field support continues to help propel the Wildcats.
 
TALE OF TAYLOR'S SEASON: Included in Dave Taylor's 5th 40-win year with the Wildcats were his 500th career victory and 400th as head coach of the Wildcats.
 
STOLEN RECORDS: The Wildcats' 111 stolen bases is a new school record, as is the team's 80 sacrifice hits.
 
FAB FIELDING: The Wildcats' fielding percentage of .9835 is well above the school record of .977 and threatening UC San Diego's NCAA Division II record of .9836, set in 2010. The Tritons' 2009 mark of .9828 is the only other season of .980 or better on record.
 
NO 'F' IN FALCO: Josh Falco is a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection this season. A senior sociology major, Falco boasts the fourth-highest cumulative GPA among the 10 men from the West Region named to the team.
 
CAM'S THE MAN: Cameron Santos is the first Wildcat ever to be named the CCAA Player of the Year. The last Wildcat to be named Conference Player of the Year was Rich Gregory in 1998. Santos, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the fall. More on that story.
 
CASEY MISSES BATS: CCAA Pitcher of the Year Casey Costello is tied for the D-II lead with 12 wins and one of two with a perfect record of 12-0.
 
KELLEY'S POSTSEASON POP: Dillon Kelley won his 2nd straight CCAA Tournament MVP award after hitting 6 HRs–including 3 in the finale–and driving in 15 last week. In the process, Kelley broke every Chico State postseason home run record. His 3 homers in Saturday's finale matched Rich Gregory's single-game home run record, set in 1997.
 In 12 career postseason games, Kelley is hitting .500 (22-for-44), slugging 1.114.
 
SCHEDULE - Listen to every game on AM-1290 KPAY Radio or HERE.
Thursday, May 18 

Game 1	11 a.m.	California Baptist vs. Azusa Pacific	Stats	Video
Game 2	3 p.m.	Cal Poly Pomona vs. Chico State	Stats	Video
Game 3	7 p.m.	UC San Diego vs. Dixie State	Stats	Video

Friday, May 19

Game 4	11 a.m.	Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2	Stats	Video
Game 5	3 p.m.	Winner Game 2 vs. Loser Game 3	Stats	Video
Game 6	7 p.m.	Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 3	Stats	Video

(If Four Teams Remain Following Friday)
Saturday, May 20

Game 7	11 a.m.	Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6	Stats	Video
Game 8	3 p.m.	Loser Game 6 vs. Winner Game 4	Stats	Video
Game 9	7 p.m.	Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8	Stats	Video

Monday, May 22

Game 10	Noon	Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9	Stats	Video
Game 11	4 p.m.	If Necessary	Stats	Video

(If Five Teams Remain Following Friday)
Saturday, May 20

Game 7	11 a.m.	Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6	Stats	Video
Game 8	3 p.m.	Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 4	Stats	Video
Game 9	7 p.m.	Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 6	Stats	Video

(If Two Teams Remain Following Saturday)  
Monday, May 22                                                                                                                                     

Game 10	Noon	Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9	Stats	Video
Game 11	4 p.m.	If Necessary	Stats	Video

(If Two Teams Remain Following Saturday)
Monday, May 22 

Game 10	Noon	Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 9	Stats	Video
Game 11	4 p.m.	Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 9	Stats	Video

Admission / Seating
General Admission
Adult - $10    
Student - $5 (w/ID)    
Seniors - $7 (age 55 older)    
Military - $7 (w/ID)
Children age 2 & under - free

Notes:
*Tickets are good for day-of-games only
*The ticket booth will open 60 minutes before the first game of each day.
*All tickets are general admission and seats are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
*All outside food and drink are subject to search by Azusa Pacific personnel.
*There's a limited number of seats at the complex and fans are welcome to bring chairs to se