Following a tough 49-game schedule, the second season for Chico State softball is about to unfold. The Wildcats, which needed an extra-inning win in the last game of the last day of regular season play to clinch a berth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament, open the four team, double-elimination event Friday at 3 p.m. against regular season conference champ Cal State Monterey Bay at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton.
 
Chico State drew the No. 4 seed in the CCAA Championship Tournament, edging fifth place Sonoma State by mere percentage points thanks to its eight-inning, 2-1 victory over the Seawolves in the regular season finale.
 
There's a huge prize waiting for the team that captures the CCAA Championship Tournament crown. The winner of the three-day tournament will receive the conference's automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Championship Tournament and the chance to compete for the Division II national title.
 
The CCAA Championship Tournament is in its 11th year of existence. Chico State is making its sixth appearance in the event since Angel Shamblin became Wildcat head coach in 2010. At last year's CCAA Championship Tournament, Chico State nearly won it all, but fell to UC San Diego in the finals.  
 
The Wildcats face some stiff competition this weekend, with Monterey Bay (42-9, 30-8 CCAA) earning the CCAA Tournament's No. 1 seed, followed by No. 2 Cal State San Bernardino (37-17, 27-13 CCAA) and No. 3 Humboldt State (34-12, 22-11 CCAA).

CLICK HERE for the official CCAA Championship Tournament page
 
Even if Chico State falls short of snaring the automatic bid to nationals, the Wildcats are still in a great position to be one of the eight West Region teams to be selected to play in the NCAA Championship Tournament. The 'Cats head into the first weekend of postseason play ranked No. 2 in the West.
 
Wrapping up the regular season with the toughest portion of its schedule, Chico State is 7-8 after winning 28 of its first 34 games. The Wildcats were not to be denied their third trip to the postseason in as many years, as they closed out the 2017 campaign with a huge series win over Sonoma to jump from fifth to fourth place in the conference standings.
 
Chico State enters postseason play batting .294 as a team while averaging 4.5 runs and 7.9 hits a game. The Wildcats pitching staff leads the CCAA with a 1.81 team earned run average while holding opposing hitters to a conference-best .241 batting average.
 
Cal State Monterey Bay heads to the CCAA Championship Tournament ranked No. 1 in the West and No. 4 in the nation. The Otters, which won 11 of its last 13 regular season games, clinched the conference's regular season crown against the Wildcats back on April 22. Monterey Bay finished last weekend with a split of an abbreviated four-game set against Humboldt State.
 
The Otters boast the CCAA's top offense, batting a collective .356 while averaging over six runs and nearly 10 hits a game. Monterey Bay's pitching staff, led by 28-game winner Hayley Fein, ranks fifth in the conference with a 2.54 ERA.
 
In their lone regular season series, the Otters took three of four from Chico State April 21-22 in Seaside. In the CCAA Championship Tournament, the Wildcats and Monterey Bay have split their four head-to-head meetings.
 
The CCAA Tournament's other first round matchup pits No. 2 Cal State San Bernardino against No. 3 Humboldt State. The Coyotes reached the tourney by winning 19 of their last 21 games, while the Lumberjacks—at one time this season the No. 1-ranked team in the nation—went just 8-7 down the stretch.
 
Chico State enjoyed quite a bit of success against San Bernardino and Humboldt. The Wildcats beat the Coyotes three out of four March 26-27 at University Softball Field, and split a rain-shortened four-game set with the Lumberjacks April 10 in McKinleyville.
 
Fans unable to attend the CCAA Championship Tournament in person can follow the action on the Internet via Live Stats, available through the Wildcat Athletics website. Live streaming video for all Chico State games is also available online.
 
2017 CCAA Softball Championship Tournament
May 5-7 at Arnaiz Stadium, Stockton, Calif.

Friday, May 5
Game 1 – 3:00 p.m.        No. 4 Chico State (35-14, 25-13 CCAA) vs. No. 1 Cal State Monterey Bay (42-9, 30-8 CCAA)
Game 2 – 5:30 p.m.        No. 3 Humboldt State (34-12, 22-11 CCAA) vs. No. 2 Cal State San Bernardino (37-17, 27-13 CCAA)

Saturday, May 6
Game 3 – 12:00 p.m.      Winner of game 1 vs. Winner of game 2
Game 4 – 2:30 p.m.        Loser of game 1 vs. Loser of game 2 (elimination game)
Game 5 – 5:00 p.m.        Loser of game 3 vs. Winner of game 4 (elimination game)

Sunday, May 7
Game 6 – 10:00 a.m.       Winner of game 3 vs. Winner of game 5
Game 7 – 12:00 p.m.       If necessary (will begin 30 min. following game 6) 
 
Arnaiz Stadium is located at 3293 Morada Lane in Stockton.
 
Ticket prices: $8 General admission; $5 Seniors 65 and older, students (junior college, high school and college with ID); $3 Children ages 3-12. Tickets will be available at the main entrance of Arnaiz Stadium on event days.