Chico State Athletics

Casey Costello put together one of the best seasons ever by a Chico State starting pitcher during the 2017 baseball season. He's been even better in his first three starts of 2018.

Costello, a senior from La Quinta, outdueled Stanislaus State's Joe Ryan in a 1-0 victory over the Warriors in the teams' series opener on Feb. 16 in Turlock to earn Wildcat of the Week honors.

The highly-anticipated pitching matchup did not disappoint as the two hurlers matched zero for zero for six innings.

Costello would end up throwing a seventh scoreless inning and that would prove to be the difference. Chico State scratched out the game's lone run against Ryan in the top of the seventh.

Costello allowed just three hits in his seven innings. He struck out four batters without issuing a walk. In his 19 innings on the season, he has allowed 13 hits and two walks while striking out 16. He is 2-0 with an earned run average of 0.95 on the season.

Costello has now won his first 14 decisions with the Wildcats. He was 12-0 in 2017 when he earned the West Region and CCAA Pitcher of the Year awards in his Chico State debut after playing for Orange Coast Community College.

His next start will come this weekend in Rohnert Park as the Wildcats play a four-game series against the rival Seawolves beginning Friday at 2 p.m.