IRVINE—A disappointing start to the Chico State softball team's 2023 season ended with nothing but smiles throughout the Wildcats' dugout during Friday's opening action at the Concordia Kickoff Classic in Irvine. The 'Cats began by dropping a tough 3-2 decision to Montana State Billings, but with freshman Amelie Valdez tossing a shutout in her Chico State debut, the Wildcats ended the day on a positive note, putting a hashmark in the win column with a 7-0 victory over Northwest Nazarene.  
 
The Wildcats racked up a combined 14 hits in Friday's two contests. Ashlee Toy led the way with four hits, while Grace Gallagher, Grace Stover, and Blaire Willson each picked up a pair of safeties. But it was the dazzling debut of Valdez that was the story of the day: in her very first game as a Chico State Wildcat, the righthander from Atwater tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out nine.
 
Chico State provided Valdez with a lead almost immediately against Northwest Nazarene, as Tayler Berens scored from third on an infield single by Willson in the bottom of the second inning. It turned about to be all the run support the true freshman would need—through the first five innings, Valdez allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out eight Nighthawks batters.
 
The Wildcats tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning—Anastacia Alba scored from third on Hailey Seva's bases-loaded sacrifice fly, and a Northwest Nazarene error allowed Gallagher to come home to widen the 'Cats' lead to 3-0.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, a two-out error by the Nighthawks—their fourth of the game—led to another Chico State run, and Berens officially broke the game open with a bases-loaded triple, plating Gallagher, Stover, and Toy. Valdez sealed the deal by twirling a scoreless seventh, and the Wildcats secured their first victory of the season by a final of 7-0.
 
In Friday's opening contest, the 'Cats' Katelyn Oldwin and Alyssa Etheridge of Montana State Billings locked up in a low-scoring pitcher's duel. The Yellowjackets struck first, taking advantage of a pair of first inning walks and using a sacrifice fly to plate the first run of the game. Oldwin was nails in the circle for the next four innings, though, retiring 13 of 14 Montana State Billings batters.
 
Chico State's offense was silent until Stover delivered the first hit of the season in the top of the fourth inning. Toy singled in the fifth, but in both frames the 'Cats left the potential tying run in scoring position.
 
The Wildcats finally broke through in the top of the sixth—Alba led off the inning with a single and promptly stole second base. Stover doubled Alba to third, and both came home on Gallagher's single up the middle. Chico State's 2-1 lead didn't last long, however, as Montana State Billings put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth. A walk and back-to-back singles knotted up the contest, and with Toy coming on in relief for the 'Cats, a bases-loaded walk to Claire Bagnell forced home what turned out to be the winning run.
 
Chico State was down, but not out. Toy led off the top of the seventh with a single and immediately stole second, then advanced to third on a groundout. But unfortunately for the Wildcats, that's where she stayed, as Etheridge wiggled out of the jam by inducing a popup and ground out, ending the game and giving Montana State Billings the 3-2 win.
 
The Wildcats have a pair of games on tap Saturday during day two of the Concordia Kickoff Classic. Chico State faces Biola University at 11 a.m., followed by a head-to-head matchup with Western Washington at 4 p.m. Fans can follow the action online via Live Stats, with links accessible on the Wildcat Athletics homepage and the softball schedule page.