Joseph Edgecomb / Collegian File Photo

Head coach Margie Wright will try to keep her team focused against the nation̢۪s top teams

Most sports̢۪ seasons start out in familiar fashion, with sleepy, out-of-conference games that generally have little bearing on the season at hand. These eventually give way to meaningful conference games, then to crucial playoff games and finally come to a dramatic climax, or sometimes an anti-climax, in a finals series or a championship game.

NASCAR̢۪s Daytona 500, which took place last Sunday, is a famous exception to this rule. The stock-car racing season begins with a bang every year and, even if it disappoints, is quickly rescued by the promise of a new race the next week. This week, the Fresno State softball team will begin, what is for them, a similar exception to this trend: The Cathedral City Classic (CCC).

No. 14 Fresno State will take on four other nationally-ranked programs in five games over the course of three days in Palm Springs. The CCC is an annual event which typically features several of the nation̢۪s best collegiate softball teams competing against one another. The tournament is hosted by Oregon State.

Florida is ranked at No. 2, UCLA is ranked No. 4, Northwestern is No. 11 and North Carolina is ranked No. 25, making these some of the toughest games of the year for the Bulldogs. Only one game is against an unranked opponent, Maryland (0-5).

Like the Daytona 500, a poor showing in this event will not eliminate the ̢۪Dogs from contention for the WAC or the national championship but will set the tone for the rest of the year.

Picking up some wins will provide the team with crucial chemistry and momentum heading into the middle of the season; picking up losses may hurt the team̢۪s psyche and confidence.

In fact, picking up results of either kind has been a problem so far this season for the Bulldogs. Out of seven scheduled games, Fresno State has already had three cancelled or rescheduled.

Team keeps a positive thought

Haley Perkins, one of the team̢۪s only two seniors, says the team will not be intimidated by the high status of the competition at the tournament.

“This is nothing different for us,â€Â Perkins said. “We’ve got to bring our ‘A’ game, but we can’t slack on any of the games.â€Â

Despite being near the top of several categories for Fresno State career records, she seemed unworried about them and even about her status as a senior, saying simply, “it hasn’t sunk in yet.â€Â

At practice, sophomore infielder Nicole Angene, was upbeat about how the team is performing.

“The chemistry is great, we just need to put it on the field… everyone’s out there to beat us,â€Â Angene said.

Coach Margie Wright is no stranger to big games herself. She is the NCAA career leader in victories after all.

Wright knows that the other teams are prepared and are hoping for a hot start as well.

“Everybody gets up for us,â€Â said Wright, “We’ve always had a target on our back.â€Â

Clearly the stakes are unusually high for this point in the season.

“This weekend we’ll get a glimpse at whether or not they deserve it,â€Â Wright said.