Relief pitchers sometimes go a number of games without seeing action. Sheldon Luchuga has certainly been an exception over the first two weeks of the season for the Chico State baseball team. That's because he's been too good to leave on the bench. Lechuga was called upon in all four games of the Wildcats' key early-season series at UC San Diego last weekend and responded with three-and-two-thirds scoreless innings. He allowed just one hit and one walk and went 1-0 to earn Wildcat of the Week honors as the 23rd-ranked Wildcats split the series with the No. 3 Tritons.
Lechuga, a left-handed pitcher from Santa Maria (Allan Hancock CC), has now appeared in seven of Chico State's first eight games of the season. Friday, Lechuga entered the game with the Wildcats trailing 6-3 in the seventh. He retired five batters in a row to earn his first victory in a Chico State uniform as the Wildcats rallied for seven runs in the ninth to win.
Later that same day and on into the next after the game was suspended due to darkness, Lechuga was one of six Chico State relievers who combined to allow just two runs in 10-plus innings as the Wildcats came from behind to beat the Tritons again. He allowed only a walk (his only free pass this season) in an inning of work. Lechuga entered the game with runners on second and third and one down in the fifth and allowed only one run on a sacrifice bunt before getting two ground-outs to end the inning.
Lechuga entered the third game of the series with Chico State trailing 4-3 in the eighth with a runner on second with one out. He did allow a base hit to put runners on the corners, but then got a strikeout and fly out to end the threat.
Lechuga was asked to face just one batter in Sunday's series finale, though the situation was anything but routine. Lechuga entered in the eighth inning of a 7-7 game with one out and the bases loaded. He certainly minimized the possible damage, allowing only a sacrifice fly to keep the Wildcats within striking distance.
Lechuga and the Wildcats now set their sights on Central Washington, which will be coming to town for a four-game series at Nettleton Stadium this weekend.
