The Chico State softball team is ready to officially lift the lid on the 2020 season, and this weekend the Wildcats are diving in heads, hands, and feet with five games in three days at the Concordia Kickoff Classic, with all contests taking place at Great Park in Irvine.
 
The 'Cats will play twice on Friday, taking on Azusa Pacific at 3 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. tilt against Western Washington. Saturday Chico State takes on host Concordia Irvine at 12:30 p.m. and Biola at 3 p.m., then concludes the tournament with a Sunday matchup vs. Hawaii Pacific at 10 a.m.
 
Fans can follow the action of all five Chico State games at the Concordia Kickoff Classic online via Live Stats, available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
 
Ticket prices for the Concordia Kickoff Classic are $10 for a one-day pass and $25 for a three-day tournament pass. Seniors 65 and over and youths 6-12 can purchase a tournament pass for $20. Children under 5 are free. For more details and to order tickets online, CLICK HERE or click on the Tournament Central link at the top right of this story.
 
Chico State is competing in the inaugural Kickoff Classic after beginning the last three seasons in Las Vegas at the Desert Stinger Classic. The Wildcats will be tested right from the get-go: all five of their opponents this weekend finished the 2019 season at least seven games over .500 and placed no lower than fifth in their conference.
 
Head Coach Angel Shamblin, back for her 11th season at the helm, returns nine players from the team that finished 31-17 and reached the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional for the fifth consecutive year. The 2020 edition of the Wildcats features eight new players—all of which have the potential to make an immediate impact.
 
Chico State has been picked to finish second in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) preseason coaches' poll. The 'Cats garnered two of 11 possible first place votes.
 
Chico State is also ranked No. 20 nationwide in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Top 25 preseason coaches' Poll.
 
The Wildcat pitching staff features junior righthander Brooke Larsen, who won 20 games, tossed seven shutouts, struck out 169 batters, and fashioned a miniscule 1.84 earned run average in 2019. Larsen was not only named CCAA Pitcher and Newcomer of the Year, but also First Team All-West Region.
 
Larsen will be joined in the pitcher's circle by senior lefthander Sam Mulock (6-4, 1.61 ERA last season) and righty redshirt sophomore Courtney Springman, who as a true freshman won 16 games at Division I Army in 2018.
 
The 'Cats' offense is led by senior shortstop/outfielder Kristin Worley, who batted .378 in 2019 and stole 27 bases to earn All-CCAA and All-West Region honors for the third straight season. Worley enters the 2020 campaign just four steals shy of becoming Chico State's career stolen base leader.
 
Other returners expected to make big contributions to the 'Cats' attack are junior infielder and All-CCAA selection Reilani Peleti (.326 BA, 4 HR, 23 RBI last season), sophomore outfielder Amanda Metzger (.297 BA, 3 HR in 2019), and junior infielder Angel Lopez (.389 BA, 3 HR and 14 RBI in just 54 at-bats last year).
 
Below are thumbnail descriptions of Chico State's season-opening opponents at the Concordia Kickoff Classic:
 
Azusa Pacific (Friday, January 31, 3 p.m.)
The Cougars were 31-17 overall in 2019, and finished in third place in the Pacific West Conference. Azusa Pacific is once again expected to contend for the PacWest title this season, with the Cougars picked to finish third in the conference's preseason coaches' poll.
 
Azusa Pacific lost to Chico State 3-2 in last season's Desert Stinger Classic. The Wildcats have won the last three meetings and lead the all-time series with the Cougars 6-3.
 
Western Washington (Friday, January 31, 6 p.m.)
The Vikings finished 27-18 last season and tied for fourth place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). In the conference's 2020 preseason coaches' poll, Western Washington is picked to finished second overall.
 
The Vikings fell to the Wildcats 12-2 in five innings at the 2019 Desert Stinger Classic. Chico State leads the all-time series 17-11.
 
Concordia Irvine (Saturday, February 1, 12:30 p.m.)
The Eagles finished 47-8 in 2019, winning their second straight PacWest title. Concordia is once again the conference favorite, and is a unanimous choice to finish first in the PacWest's preseason coaches' poll. They open the season ranked in a tie for 10th place in the NFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
 
Concordia and Chico were scheduled to play at last year's Desert Stinger Classic, but the game was rained out. As a result, Saturday will mark the first time the Wildcats and Eagles have met on the softball field since 1996. The 'Cats won the only previous meeting 4-3.
 
Biola (Saturday, February 1, 3 p.m.)
The Eagles were 24-16 in 2019, finishing in fourth place in the PacWest Conference. Biola has been picked to finish fourth in the conference's preseason coaches' poll.
 
Saturday's contest will be the first time Chico State and Biola have gone head-to-head in softball.
 
Hawaii Pacific (Sunday, February 2, 10 a.m.)
The Sharks finished 31-24 last season and posted a fifth place finish in the PacWest Conference. In the PacWest's 2020 preseason coaches' poll, Hawaii Pacific is picked to finished fifth overall.
 
The Super Bowl Sunday clash is the first meeting between Chico State and Hawaii Pacific since April 1, 2016, when the Wildcats beat the Sharks 6-3 in the Tournament of Champions in Turlock. Hawaii Pacific leads the all-time series with the 'Cats 9-6.