Chico State Athletics

Chico State senior starter Kagen Hopkins hurled eight shutout innings to lead the 3rd-ranked Chico State baseball team to a 3-0 win in Sunday's series finale at Cal Poly Pomona and earn Wildcat of the Week honors. He allowed just three singles and two walks (one intentional) in the best of four amazing outings by the Chico State pitching staff.

Hopkins, who improved to 6-0 and lowered in earned run average to 2.24, gave up a single in the first and another in the third before retiring the next 10 batters in a row.

He finally allowed a Broncos player into scoring position in the seventh when he walked the leadoff hitter and allowed a single. The Broncos eventually loaded the bases with one out before Hopkins struck out Jason Padlo and then got pinch hitter Joseph Eusebio to ground out to end the inning.

Hopkins worked a 1-2-3 eighth before giving way to the bullpen, which preserved the shutout.

He and the Wildcats combined to allow just four runs (three earned) in four games over the weekend at Cal Poly Pomona, which entered play leading the CCAA in batting average and ranked second in runs scored.

With the win, Hopkins moved to 14-4 in his Chico State career and his winning percentage of .778 is tied for fifth in school history among those with 18 or more decisions. He will likely take the hill next on Sunday when the Wildcats wrap up a four-game series against UC San Diego at Nettleton Stadium.