LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Competing in the Desert Stinger Classic softball tournament, hosted by Montana State University Billings, for the second time, No. 21 Chico State University completed a 5-0 weekend and claimed the 2018 title at the ninth annual event Sunday afternoon at Majestic Park.
 
The Wildcats, coached by Angel Shamblin, were one of three undefeated teams among the field of 28, and had the best overall tournament score at plus-30 over their five games to claim the crown. Chico State is the ninth different team to win the tournament, and is the fourth champion from the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Wildcats are also 10-0 in Desert Stinger games, after sweeping through the 2017 event – their first-ever tournament – with a perfect record.
 
UC San Diego and Cal State University San Bernardino were also 5-0 at the tournament.
 
Chico shortstop Wendy Cardinali was named the tournament Most Valuable Player, and was one of two Wildcats named to the all-tournament team. Cardinali batted .500 for Chico State (7-for-14), with two doubles, a triple, two home runs, and seven RBIs. She reached base at a clip of .611, and posted a slugging percentage of 1.214 on the weekend. She also handled 13 of 14 chances at shortstop. Wildcat pitcher Haley Gilham stood out as one of the top arms at the tournament, with 11 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings pitched. She posted a perfect 3-0 record, logging two complete games and holding opposing hitters to a .145 batting average.
 
For UCSD, Sherriah Harrington batted .583 (7-for-12) with two doubles, two home runs, and eight RBIs. Her slugging percentage of 1.250 ranked second in the tournament, and she also stole three bases. In the circle, Robyn Wampler carried the Tritons with a 1.29 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings pitched. Wampler had a perfect 4-0 record, and held the opposition to a batting average of .182 while logging a complete game and a save. Also earning all-tournament honors from UCSD was Brittney Ross-Smith, who had the second-highest batting average at the event (.636) and led the tournament with 41 chances and 39 putouts with no errors at first base.
 
Jessica Brown helped CSU San Bernardino finish the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record, as she hit .529 (9-for-17) with a pair of home runs and eight RBIs. She was also 2-for-2 in the stolen base department, and totaled 17 bases for a slugging percentage of 1.000 on the weekend. Slick-fielding Samantha Vacko also made the all-tournament team, with 25 errorless chances as the team's second baseman. In addition to her fielding excellence, Vacko batted .500 (5-for-10) with a double and two RBIs, and led her team with three stolen bases.
 
Senior rightfielder Heather Tracy was an offensive cog for MSU Billings (4-1) throughout the weekend, batting .550 (11-for-20) with three home runs, seven RBIs, and a tournament-high 11 runs scored. Tracy also stole three bases and played perfect defense in right field with five putouts. Megan Dettling was MSUB's top hitter, batting .556 on the weekend (10-for-18). Dettling had a walk-off home run in MSUB's 8-6 win over Academy of Art, and also had 14 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings pitched.
 
Sophomore Maddy Lincoln carried a 1.29 earned run average, striking out 12 and walking just four in 16 1/3 innings pitched. She logged a complete-game shutout in MSUB's 14-0 tournament-opening win over the University of Mary, and went 3-1 overall in the tournament.
 
Hawaii Hilo went 4-1 in the tournament, thanks in large part to the performance of senior third baseman Bailey Gaspar. Gaspar led her team with a .471 average (8-for-17), clobbering three home runs and driving in seven to go along with a slugging percentage of 1.118. Gaspar also scored eight runs, stole a base, and played perfect defense in 11 chances at the hot corner.
 
Perhaps the top individual hitter of the tournament was Ryann Ferguson of Concordia-Irvine, who went 12-for-18 (.667) with a tournament-best four home runs. She slugged 1.500, had 10 RBIs, and reached base at a clip of .684 for the Eagles, who went 4-1. Freshman Callie Nunes started her collegiate career with a no-hitter in a 12-0 blanking of Western Oregon on Friday, and finished the weekend with a tourney-low 0.51 earned run average with 20 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings.
 
Colorado Christian University also went 4-1 at the tournament, and largely rode the bat of Shelby Fusich who was their all-tournament honoree. Fusich batted .368 (7-for-19), with a triple, two home runs, 10 RBIs, and a slugging percentage of .789. She also played perfect defense with 23 putouts and three assists, including nailing both of the runners who attempted a steal while she was behind the plate.
 
Rounding out the all-tournament team was Cassidy Fifield of Northwest Nazarene University, who was sixth in the tournament field with a batting average of .563. Fifield had a double, two home runs, and six RBIs, while slugging at 1.000 and reaching base at a clip of .650. She also stole a base and made all seven plays that came her way in center field.
 
2018 Desert Stinger Classic All-Tournament Team

Player	School	Position	Year	Hometown
Jessica Brown	CSU San Bernardino	Catcher	SR	Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Brittney Ross-Smith	UC San Diego	First Baseman	SO	Valencia, CA
Samantha Vacko	CSU San Bernardino	Second Baseman	SO	Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Bailey Gaspar	Hawaii Hilo	Third Baseman	SR	Vancouver, WA
Wendy Cardinali	Chico State	Shortstop	JR	Santa Clara, CA
Heather Tracy	MSU Billings	Right Fielder	SR	Boise, ID
Ryann Ferguson	Concordia (Calif.)	Center Fielder	SR	Yorba Linda, CA
Cassidy Fifield	Northwest Nazarene	Center Fielder	JR	Lake Stevens, WA
Sherriah Harrington	UC San Diego	Designated Player	FR	Chula Vista, CA
Megan Dettling	MSU Billings	Utility	SR	Sparks, NV
Shelby Fusich	Colorado Christian	Utility	JR	Phoenix, AZ
Haley Gilham	Chico State	Pitcher	SR	Norco, CA
Robyn Wampler	UC San Diego	Pitcher	FR	Berkeley, CA
Maddy Lincoln	MSU Billings	Pitcher	SO	Olympia, WA
Callie Nunes	Concordia (Calif.)	Pitcher	FR	Modesto, CA

2018 Desert Stinger Classic Champion
Chico State University, 5-0 record (30.0 tournament score)
 
2018 Desert Stinger Classic Most Valuable Player
Wendy Cardinali, Chico State University