Twice Chico State Head Baseball Coach Dave Taylor penciled Casey Costello's name into the starting pitchers' slot on the lineup card last week. And twice the Wildcats walked away with a victory. Eleven times Costello stepped on top of the mound to start an inning. Eleven times he walked off of it with a zero on the scoreboard behind him.
The Chico State athletics male Wildcat of the Week hasn't posted the sparkling strikeout numbers of some of his fellow rotation mates, but he is getting outs and posting zeroes at an impressive rate.
In Monday's start against Simpson University, Costello cruised through five innings of work, allowing just two singles and a walk in 7–1 win. Saturday against Saint Mary's (Tex.) at the Houston Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park, Costello scattered five singles and walked just one in six innings of work.
Now 2-0 on the season in three starts, Costello sports a 0.56 ERA.
The junior transfer from Orange Coast Community College, Costello specializes in keeping the ball on the ground. Opponents have a 63-percent ground ball rate and have grounded into five double plays against Costello.
He will likely make his next start this weekend against Stanislaus State in the Wildcats' CCAA-opening series. They will host the Warriors for single games Friday at 2 p.m. and Saturday at noon before wrapping up the series with a doubleheader in Turlock on Sunday at 1 p.m.
