POMONA, Calif. – The Chico State baseball team was one pitch from .500… one pitch from dropping its second straight game to Cal Poly Pomona… one pitch from falling into a deep hole in the conference standings. But facing two strikes with two down in the ninth Kevin Seaver pulled a solo home run over the left-field wall to tie the game and the Wildcats went on to beat Cal Poly Pomona 12-10 in 10 innings in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at Scolinos Field. Chico State rode that momentum to an 8-1 win in the second game.

The Wildcats, ranked No. 19 in the nation entering the weekend, improved to 9-6 overall and 5-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with the sweep. Cal Poly Pomona, which hadn’t lost at home in six games before Saturday, fell to 7-8 overall and 2-5 in the CCAA. The finale of the four-game series is set for Sunday at noon.

Joel Garcia spun a complete-game four-hitter in the nightcap, striking out eight and allowing just one unearned run. He did not walk a batter in improving to 3-0. He’s now tossed three complete-games in four starts this season.

Andrew Pluta (2-1) earned the win in the opener, retiring all 10 batters he faced against a Cal Poly Pomona offense that to that point had 26 runs in the first 16 innings of the series.

After Seaver’s homer tied the game in the ninth, the Wildcats won the game in the 10th. Jordan Larson led off the inning with his third base hit of the game and moved to second on Kyle Eveland’s second sacrifice bunt of the day. After Josh Meagher was intentionally walked and Eric Stephens flew out, Bret Ringer lined a two-strike RBI-single to center field to plate what proved to be the winning run.

Adam Arakawa, who homered and drove in four runs in the game, forced home an insurance run when he was walked with the bases loaded later in the inning. Ringer and Seaver joined Larson with three hits in the game. Stephens hit a two-run homer and Ringer and Seaver finished with a pair of RBI as well.

The second game was not nearly as thrilling as the Wildcats erupted for seven runs in the first and were never threatened. Robert Mills blasted a two-run homer in the inning and Arakawa had a two-run single and stole home for another run later in the inning. Jimmy Dodos and Larson also notched RBI-singles in the inning.

Larson’s base hit extended his hitting streak to open the season to 15 games. Meagher has hit safely in 13 straight.

GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE