Chico State Athletics

Chico State lefthander Kevin Brahney has pitched in some tough luck this season – prior to the Wildcats’ series with Cal State East Bay, the senior from Sunnyvale had just one victory to show for his first seven starts of 2011 despite an impressive earned run average of 3.00. Last Thursday against the Pioneers, though, Brahney was not to be denied, tossing the best game of his two-year Wildcat career, allowing just a run on two hits in eight innings while striking out 11 in a 2-1 win in Hayward. Brahney’s mound mastery against East Bay has earned the southpaw Wildcat of the Week honors.

Against East Bay Thursday, Brahney retired 14 straight at one point and 21 of the last 22 hitters he faced. He allowed a leadoff triple in the first, hit the next batter, and then got a double-play ball that scored that plated the game’s first run but also started that streak of 14 straight Pioneers hitters who went down, seven via strikeout. After allowing a one-out single in the sixth, Brahney retired the last seven hitters he faced, four via strikeout. The 11 total K’s were the most in a single game by a Chico State pitcher this season.

Brahney, now 2-3 on the season, ranks sixth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) in ERA, while opposing batters are hitting just .222 against him –sixth-best among conference pitchers.