The 2023 Chico State baseball season is less than two months away, and soon Nettleton Stadium will be filled with the sights, sounds, and exciting play that Wildcat fans have been accustomed to since the facility opened in 1997. The 'Cats will also get the opportunity to compete on a major league field, opening the campaign with three games at Houston's Minute Maid Park. It's just one of the many highlights of the official 2023 Chico State baseball schedule, released Wednesday.
Head Coach Dave Taylor returns for his 17th year at the helm, with the Wildcats looking to make another run at the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title. Chico State finished the 2022 season with a 34-15 record and tied for second in the CCAA with a 27-12 conference mark, earning the program's sixth straight postseason appearance.
The Wildcats will lift the lid on the new season by traveling to Texas to compete February 3–5 at the Houston Winter Invitational, facing Division II schools Arkansas Tech, Florida's Flagler College, and defending NCAA Division II champion North Greenville (South Carolina). It marks Chico State's first trip to the home of the World Series champion Houston Astros since 2017.
The 'Cats play a total of 24 regular season home games in 2023 at "The Nett," beginning with a three-game non-conference set February 10–11 against Fresno Pacific.
The Wildcats begin CCAA play on the road February 24–26 against Cal State San Marcos before returning to Chico March 3–5 to host Stanislaus State in a four-game series. After a four-game set in the Bay Area March 10–12, the 'Cats are back at Nettleton Stadium March 17–19 to take on 2022 CCAA Tournament champ Cal Poly Pomona.
A road trip to Rohnert Park March 24–25 to battle arch rival Sonoma State will be followed by a four-game home series March 31–April 2 against Cal State East Bay, with the Wildcats hosting a single game April 3 against non-conference opponent Hawaii Pacific.
Cal State Monterey Bay, last year's CCAA regular season champion, will host the Wildcats for four April 6–8, then after taking a week off, the 'Cats will be home April 21–23 to take on Cal State San Bernardino. Chico State makes its last regular season road trip April 28–30 against Cal State Dominguez Hills, then wraps up the 2022 campaign May 4–6 with a four-game set at Nettleton Stadium against Cal State LA.
The CCAA Tournament, hosted by Cal State Monterey Bay, is set for May 10–13 in Seaside. The conference tournament winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship Tournament, which begins May 18–20 with the West Regional. The NCAA Tournament Super Regional is slated for May 26–27, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Tournament finals June 3–10 in Cary, North Carolina for a chance to compete for the D-II national championship.
