Cal State San Bernardino's softball team opens its 2008 season Friday with at least three goals in mind -- win more games than they lose, compete for the California Collegiate Athletic Association title and earn a trip to the post-season.
    In her third season as the head coach, Tacy Duncan is working with a team of 14 players that she personally recruited, a team that was 27-27 in 2007, 18-18 in the CCAA and a fifth-place finisher, the best season for the program since 2002.
    The Coyotes don't have to wait long to be challenged. They face defending CCAA champion and West Region runnerup Humboldt State, in the first game of the three-day Best of the West Invitational hosted by Cal State Stanislaus in Turlock.
    The Lumberjacks are ranked No. 6 in the 2008 National Fastpitch Coaches Association pre-season poll. After facing the 'Jacks at 10 a.m. at Pedretti Park, CSUSB comes back at 2:30 p.m. to face the host Warriors, ranked No. 10 in the pre-season national poll and the defending West Region champions.
    On Saturday, CSUSB faces Cal State Monterey Bay at 12:30 p.m. and Grand Canyon at 2:45 p.m.
Sunday's round features games against Cal State Dominguez Hills at 12:30 p.m. and a game with Davis & Elkins at 2:30 p.m.
    CSUSB's home opener is Tuesday at 1 p.m. against Concordia University Irvine.
    Duncan welcomes back three seniors with clout and run-producing ability. Jordan Dahl, who can play first or third, batted .286 last season with six home runs and 31 RBI to go with 24 stolen bases and a .982 fielding percentage.  Jamie Lowe, the second-baseman, batted .312 with four home runs and 31 RBI and a 9.60 fielding percentage. Nicole Camarena, a catcher who can be the designated hitter as well, hit seven home runs and drove in 16 runs last season.
    The top returning pitcher is senior right-hander Tawni Baker who was 11-15 in 2007 with six shutouts, a no-hitter against Dominguez Hills and 153 strikeouts. Her earned run average was a modest 3.05.
    Duncan will look to several newcomers to replace all-CCAA selections Krista Hernandez, Crystal Fraijo and Michelle Calderon who complete their eligibility last May.
    Chief among the newcomers is infielder Tayler Wilson, a transfer from Abilene Christian where she batted .343 in 46 games with 20 sacrifice bunts. Prior to that she was a JC all-American and Foothill Conference MVP at Antelope Valley College in 2006, batting .551 with 48 RBI. 
    Also new to the team is Debbie Shisler, a junior pitcher-outfielder who transferred from University of West Alabama where she was an all-Gulf South Conference first-team pick as a freshman in 2006, batting .400. She struck out 102 batters that season.
    Another transfer is outfielder Tori Beaudette, a junior who redshirted last season after transferring from Mount San Antonio Community College.
    Two freshmen players expected to contribute. One is Priscilla Curiel, an all-San Andreas League and a member of the Cowboys' 2006 CIF Southern Section championship team. She batted .432 with 32 RBI and 30 runs scored as a senior.
    The other is Jacquelyn Holtzclaw, an outfielder and graduate of South Hills High School in West Covina where she was a two-time all-CIF Southern Section pick.