The wiggle room in this year's Pioneer Valley League softball race leaves almost no room for error.

Considering that defending section and league champion Bear River is off to an 8-0 start and returning playoff teams Whitney and Lincoln return their line-ups from a year ago almost intact, things look to be tight at the top of the PVL heap.

And, when you throw into the mix that the PVL only qualifies two teams to the playoffs this season, well, things already can look bleak for a team that gets off to an 0-2 league start.

That's where the Colfax Lady Falcons find themselves after they dropped a 4-3 loss to Lincoln last Wednesday. That loss followed a 2-1 setback in eight innings in their league openers against Mesa Verde.

Right now, the Colfax team has been bit by the injury bugaboo.

The Lady Falcons are now 4-3 overall going into this weekend's Nor Cal Classic slated for today and tomorrow in Tracy.

"If we can ever get healthy, we'll be fun to watch," said Colfax coach Laura Campbell.

"I don't know if it's in the water or what," Campbell said. "Lately a lot of the girls have been passing the flu. It's been hard because we haven't had the numbers practice-wise.

"If the girls can just get healthy, we'll be just fine."

Besides making it difficult to develop consistency, Campbell said, injuries have hampered Colfax defensively.

"We've had to shift our defense so much that it doesn't allow any one player to settle into a position," she said. "But they're trying."

Defense is especially important to Colfax in light of the fact that its primary pitcher, senior Kayla Campbell, is not a strikeout artist.

"She's got good ball movement and good control," Laura Campbell said. "But she's not going to blow the ball past people. She gets grounders and pop-ups, and we have to make plays behind her."

If there's one thing that could get the Falcons over the adversity that has come with injuries, it's their team chemistry, Laura Campbell said.

Seven starters return from last year's team, including the entire infield, which consists of first baseman Courtney Hardin, second baseman Michelle Cavalier, shortstop Cassandra Campbell and third baseman Cara Spence. All are juniors except Courtney Campbell, who is a sophomore.

Senior Alyssa Roblez, who currently leads the Falcons with a .476 batting average, 10 runs scored and nine stolen bases, is back in center field. Joining her in the outfield are fellow seniors Lisa Quinlan and Kendra Baugh, who did not start last season.

Another senior, Becky Dunn, will handle duties behind the plate.

Rounding out Colfax's roster are junior third baseman Jessica Fitzhugh, junior right fielder Courtney Weisman, sophomore utility player Audrey Lewis and sophomore first baseman/outfielder Jessica Ketteringham.

"We don't have any dominating players." Laura Campbell said. "But the girls realize that together, they can be a force."

Colfax returns to PVL action next Wednesday April 2 at Whitney before returning home to host Placer on Friday, April 4. Both games start at 4 p.m.