LAS VEGAS — The 2016 version of the Stanislaus State softball team, which features a new coaching staff, will get on the field for a regular season game starting on Friday as the Warriors take part in the Desert Stinger Tournament in Las Vegas.
The event, in its 7th year, is hosted by Montana State Billings and features 24 teams from six different conferences. This is the first time that Stanislaus State has entered in the tournament.
The Warriors will open the season on Friday at 2 p.m. against Minot State of South Dakota from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Stan State will also face host MSU Billings at 7 p.m. Friday.
While the squad features mostly returning players — 13 players were on the 2015 roster — there is a major change in the program in head coach
Jessica Ventoza. Ventoza joined the Stanislaus coaching staff last June after two years on the Western Washington coaching staff. She is joined by assistant coach
Bianca Duran, who graduated from Louisiana Tech last May.
The top returning Warriors include
Nicolette Vizcaino, an All-CCAA honorable mention pick last year after leading the team with a .387 batting average with 55 hits and 23 stolen bases. Juniors
Morgan Balestreri (.293) and
Cassidy Duke (.284, 11 doubles, 3 home runs) will also key the team on both sides of the ball.
Deenah San Luis, who batted .287 last season and was also an Al-CCAA honorable mention, will sit out as a redshirt in 2016.
In the pitching circle, familiar names will include
Cheyenne Harper and
Karina Callazo with the addition of freshman hurler from Hickman in
Kiley Ragsdale.
Stanislaus State will also play twice on Saturday — versus Concordia (Ore.) and New Mexico Highland — before spending Super Bowl Sunday playing against Colorado-Colorado Springs to wrap-up the five-game weekend.
Click here for more information on the MSUB Desert StingerThe Warriors open the conference schedule at UC San Diego the following weekend before their first home contests on Feb. 19 versus CCAA newcomer Cal State San Marcos.
