HAYWARD, Calif. -- After rain washed away what would have been a season-opening doubleheader for the Cal State East Bay softball team last Saturday, the Pioneers will head to the desert and try once again to kick off the 2019 season. CSUEB will play five games over the next three days at the Canyons Softball Complex in St. George, Utah as part of the annual Dixie State Courtyard Classic. 

This will be the first time CSUEB has competed in the Dixie State tournament, and it will present them with the opportunity to take on some unfamiliar squads from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Of East Bay's five opponents this week, only two were able to play regular season games last week as poor weather swept over the west coast, so the Pioneers won't be the only team opening their 2019 slate in Utah.

The Pioneers are coming off a 19-36 record last season with a young team that didn't have a single senior on it. They finished ninth in the CCAA, and the league's coaches have predicted similar things this year by slotting CSUEB eighth in the preseason poll. But despite several underclassmen who will play important roles, the 2019 squad brings significantly more experience to the table and has tremendous potential to surpass their preseason ranking.

Leading the way are a pair of All-CCAA honorees in senior outfielder Courtney Leyba and junior infielder Jennifer Palmares. Leyba had a breakout season in 2018, pacing the Pioneers in most offensive categories. Palmares hit over .300 for the second straight season and led all CCAA players with 19 doubles. 

Joining that pair is junior Sarah Fukushima, who batted .301 a year ago and has blasted 17 career home runs in just two seasons, sixth-most in school history. The Pioneers also return sophomores Maddie Ramirez (.297 avg) and Bailee Aguigui (.288 avg), both of whom turned in impressive rookie campaigns.

Among the group of newcomers is sophomore Jackie Najera, who was one of Chaminade's best players last year with a .316 batting average and 19 doubles, and who will join Palmares and senior Belle Placencia in the middle infield. Additionally, freshman catcher Hailey Davis is expected to split time with sophomore Desiree Jimmy behind the dish, and freshman Madi Greco will likely compete with senior Rachel Tadlock for playing time in right field.

Head coach Claire Sua-Amundson has also compiled a strong core of pitchers, as highly-touted rookie Abby Burkholder joins senior Taylor Lara and All-Conference juniors Abby Greer and Bailee Glover in the circle. Greer boasted one of the best seasons ever by a Pioneer freshman in 2017. Her win-loss record wasn't as great in 2018, but she nonetheless notched an excellent season with 153.2 innings, 17 complete games, and a 2.92 ERA. She already ranks in the program's top-10 all-time in wins, strikeouts, and innings. Glover, meanwhile, had a breakout year in 2018, going 8-7 with a 3.28 ERA in 85.1 innings. 

ABOUT CHADRON STATE
The Eagles posted a 16-34 overall record last year and dropped four of their first five contests of this season last week at Lubbock Christian. Haleigh Hoefs (.533 avg, 2 doubles) and Bailey Marvel (.400 avg, 5 runs) have been Chadron's top hitters thus far.

ABOUT COLORADO MESA
The Mavericks finished 48-5 last year and captured the RMAC championship, leading the NCAA with a .398 team batting average. They earned the No. 21 national ranking to start this season and were picked to finish second in their conference as hurler Kimbri Herring was named RMAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

ABOUT CSU PUEBLO
The Thunderwolves are coming off a 15-36 season in 2018, batting .265 collectively with a 4.82 team ERA. Starting catcher Michaela Burpee hit .397 last year and is a preseason All-RMAC selection.

ABOUT DIXIE STATE
The host Trailblazers were one of the top squads in the nation last year, finishing 42-10 and losing in the NCAA Super Regionals. They're ranked No. 17 to open this season and were picked to win the RMAC. Sophomore pitcher Cambrie Hazel returns after capturing All-America honors as a freshman. East Bay and Dixie met last April for a non-conference doubleheader in Hayward, with the Trailblazers winning by scores of 2-1 and 8-5.

ABOUT CENTRAL WASHINGTON
The Wildcats opened their 2019 slate at the Desert Stinger in Las Vegas last week, beating Stanislaus State and Hawaii Hilo and losing to Cal State San Bernardino. Lexie Strasser was named GNAC Pitcher of the Week after allowing one earned run in 15 innings and notching both victories. CWU is coming off an impressive 2018 season in which they finished 31-19, but fell in the GNAC Tournament and just missed the NCAA postseason.