FULL NOTEBOOK vs. CHICO STATE


SEASIDE, Calif. -- The No. 4 Cal State Monterey Bay softball team will face its second consecutive significant test this weekend when it hosts No. 9 Chico State for a four–game series Friday and Saturday (Mar. 23–24). The test is bigger than the current rankings indicate, however, as CSUMB (22–6, 14–4 CCAA) is almost certain to drop and Chico State (18–5, 12–4) is almost certain to rise after last week's results. Chico also plays four games at San Francisco State (Mar. 20-21) before visiting the Otters.

The next NFCA Top 25 poll will be released Wednesday (Mar. 21).

CSUMB is coming off its first hiccough of the season after dropping a doubleheader (4–1 and 8–0) at Cal State Dominguez Hills last Friday. Mother nature wiped out the Otters' chance at revenge with rain the next two days.

“These are big games in terms of both the CCAA and the west region,” says CSUMB Head Coach Andrea Kenney. “It's also a great opportunity to build some momentum heading into the Tournament of Champions next week.”

The Otters got one–hit by Dominguez Hills in the abbreviated series finale, snuffing out several promising hitting streaks. Junior OF Angelina Orozco (Clovis East HS) proved the exception to that rule, however, hitting safely in both games last week to run her hitting streak to six games. She enters this week's action batting .333 for the season.

Freshman P/2B Cori Reinhardt (Riverside Poly HS) homered in her first at bat at Dominguez Hills to run her hitting streak to nine games before taking a collar in game two. She still leads the CCAA with a .506 average entering this week's action.

Freshman 1B Nina Villanueva (San Diego/Mt. Carmel HS) continues to give the Otters a solid one–two punch. Villanueva enters the week hitting .449 and leads the team (No. 2 CCAA) with 36 RBIs. She also leads the Otters with seven home runs and a .782 slugging percentage.