As if the Chico State softball team hadn't already enjoyed a tremendous amount of success in 2018, there's plenty more to get excited about this week as the Wildcats prepare for a four-game series against Humboldt State. The 'Cats, which last weekend clinched the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular season title, held on to the No. 3 spot in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 poll, while claiming the No. 1 position in the first NCAA West Region rankings, announced Wednesday.
 
Chico State, which has already locked in the No. 1 seed in the upcoming CCAA Championship Tournament, is now in the driver's seat to host one of the two NCAA West Sub-Regionals, scheduled for May 10-12.
 
The final eight games of the regular season are still important, and the Wildcats are not about to take their collective foot off the gas. Chico State looks to extend its 14-game winning streak this weekend in Arcata against Humboldt State, with the four-game series getting underway Friday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m., followed by a Saturday twin bill beginning at 11 a.m.
 
Wildcat fans can follow the action on the Internet with Live Stats, available via the Wildcat Athletics website. Live streaming video is also available online.
 
Chico State is 39-3 on the season, and thanks to a four-game sweep of Sonoma State last weekend, improved to 29-3 in CCAA play to clinch the conference regular season crown. The series win not only completed a perfect 20-0 season record at home, it knocked the Seawolves out of the national Top 25 rankings.
 
This weekend, the 'Cats have a chance to break the program record for most victories in a season. They need just two victories to surpass the current record of 40 wins, established by the 1980 edition of the Wildcats and matched by head coach Angel Shamblin's 2016 Chico State squad.
 
The Wildcats are 19-3 on the road this season. This weekend will be the team's first conference action away from University Softball Stadium in over a month.
 
The 'Cats sport the statistics to back up their outstanding record. Chico State leads all CCAA teams in batting (.321), defense (a .973 fielding percentage—ranking 10th in all of Division II) and pitching (a 1.56 staff earned run average—fifth in the nation).
 
Wildcat hitters top the conference in runs scored (245), home runs (42), RBI (216), slugging percentage (.502), walks (162), and on-base percentage (.420). Chico State pitchers lead the CCAA in shutouts (16—tied for third-most in the nation), saves (6), strikeouts (215) and opponent batting average (.212).
 
Several Wildcats are at or near the top of the conference leaders in various individual statistical categories:
 

• Haley Gilham tops all CCAA pitchers in wins (19), earned run average (1.32), complete games (19), shutouts (9—tied for second in the nation) and opponent batting average (.178).
• Karli Skowrup (.344 batting average) is the CCAA's RBI leader (47) while ranking third in home runs (10), and fourth in slugging percentage (.656).
• Bailey Akins (.303 BA) ranks second in the CCAA in home runs, third in slugging percentage (.697) and sixth in RBI (31).
• Kristin Worley is third in the conference batting race (.400), third in runs scored (37) and second in stolen bases (27).
• Ari Marsh (.356 BA) ranks fifth in the CCAA in RBI (33) and is tied for sixth in hits (47).
• Wendy Cardinali (.325 BA) leads the conference in runs scored (43) and walks (36—third-most in the nation), is second in on-base percentage (.503), tied for fifth in home runs (6), and fifth in slugging percentage (.596).
• Cyrena Taylor (.341 BA) is fourth in the CCAA in doubles (12).
• Claire Wayne (.290 BA) is tied for fifth in the conference in home runs (6), is fourth in walks (27) and seventh in on-base percentage (.480).
• Naomi Monahan is third among CCAA pitchers in wins (15), sixth in ERA (1.93), sixth in strikeouts (66) and sixth in opponent batting average (.234).

 
Despite losing 12 of its last 17 games, Humboldt State is still in the hunt for a CCAA Championship Tournament berth. The Lumberjacks are 19-21 overall, and sit in fifth place in the conference standings with a 14-12 record, just one game behind both Stanislaus State and Sonoma State (tied for third at 17-13). Cal State San Bernardino is in sixth place, just one game behind Humboldt with two weeks left in the regular season.
 
Last weekend the Lumberjacks split a four-game road series versus San Francisco State.
 
The 'Jacks are just 3-3 at home, and have had six home conference games rained out that cannot be rescheduled. So with eight regular season contests remaining (the upcoming four against the Wildcats and four next weekend at home versus Sonoma State), Humboldt has to post a strong finish to reach postseason play.
 
The Lumberjacks are hitting .271 as a team, averaging a little over four runs and seven hits a game. The Humboldt State pitching staff owns a 4.57 ERA.
 
The 'Jacks are led by outfielder Winona Vigil. An All-CCAA selection last year, the senior is sixth in the conference in batting (.373) in 2018, with five home runs and 18 RBI. Junior infielder Rylie Carlier is hitting .318 and tops Humboldt with six home runs, while freshman utility player Micaela Harris is batting .295 with four homers, 21 RBI and is among the CCAA's top base stealers with 19 swipes on the season.
 
In the pitcher's circle, Humboldt features two talented right-handed starters, senior Jasmine Hill (8-8, 4.16 ERA) and freshman Lexee Sheiring (8-7, 4.16 ERA).
 
Humboldt State won four of the six meetings last season with Chico State on the way to winning the NCAA West Regional title. The Lumberjacks have dominated the all-time series between the two teams—since 1983, Humboldt holds a 97-36-2 edge over the Wildcats.