The Chico State softball team's successful start to the 2020 season has not only vaulted the Wildcats to the top of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings, but also into the national top five rankings. The 'Cats moved up 15 spots to No. 5 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll, and after a week off, Chico State returns to action this weekend in Arcata against conference rival Humboldt State. The four-game series gets underway Friday with a noon doubleheader, followed by a Saturday twin bill beginning at 11 a.m.
Fans can follow the action on the Internet with Live Stats, available via the Wildcat Athletics website. Live streaming video is also available online through the CCAA Network.
Chico State also rose from No. 9 to No. 7 in the D-II softball "Power 10," an NCAA-determined weekly ranking.
The Wildcats are 9-0 overall heading into the four-game set with Humboldt State, and sit in first place in the CCAA standings with a 4-0 conference record. Prior to their bye week, the 'Cats opened CCAA play with a series sweep of Cal State Monterey Bay February 7–8.
Chico State's offense is batting .283 on the year, averaging over four runs and seven hits a game. The Wildcats' defense play has been superb thus far, and ranks second among the 11 CCAA teams (and 15th in the nation) with a .979 fielding percentage.
The Chico State pitching has been huge in the season-opening nine game winning streak. The Wildcats top the CCAA (and are second in the nation) in team earned run average (0.56) and opponent batting average (.140), and are tied for the conference lead (and tied for third throughout D-II) in shutouts (5).
Individually, Drew Rodriguez is fifth in the CCAA in batting (.476), while Kristin Worley is tied for the conference lead in stolen bases (8), fourth in on-base percentage (.583), and 10th in batting (.417). Alani Nguyen ranks third in on-base percentage (.593) and is tied for fourth in walks (10).
In the pitcher's circle, Brooke Larsen (0.57) and Sam Mulock (0.58) are 1-2 in the CCAA in ERA. The duo also leads all conference pitchers in opponent batting average (Mulock, .131; Larsen, .139). Larsen leads the CCAA in shutouts (3) and ranks in the top five in wins (5) and strikeouts (37), while Mulock is tied for second among conference hurlers in shutouts (2) and tied for seventh in wins (4).
Humboldt State its first home series of the season 3-8 overall and 2-6 in CCAA play. The Lumberjacks dropped three out of four last weekend to Cal State Monterey Bay.
Despite their slow start, the Lumberjacks are one of the top hitting teams in the CCAA, batting a collective .308 while averaging 6.8 runs and 8.2 hits a game. Humboldt's pitching staff has a combined ERA of 10.00.
Chico State beat Humboldt State three out of four last season and have won seven of the last eight meetings with the Lumberbacks, but since 1983 Humboldt State—the 1999 and 2008 Division II national champions—holds a hefty 98-43-2 lead over the 'Cats in head-to-head play.
