CHICO, Calif. – The Chico State baseball team never let Grand Canyon get off the mat, scoring three times in the first and riding a strong effort on the mound to a 10-1 win against Grand Canyon Sunday to complete a four-game sweep. Adam Arakawa, Josh Meagher, and Jimmy Dodos drove in a run apiece in the first and starter Andrew Pluta allowed just one run in six frames.

Chico State improved to 28-19 on the season with its 12th straight win against Grand Canyon. The Wildcats are now 47-7 in regular-season non-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) games in the Dave Taylor era, including 33-4 at home. They improved to 13-2 in non-conference home games this season.

Grand Canyon, which Chico State outscored 40-12 in the series, fell to 13-29 on the season.

Pluta improved to 5-1 on the season with his 14th career victory. He allowed six hits, struck out a season-high six, and issued just one walk. Bryan Save, Brian Fowler, and Jordan Lindebaum each followed with an inning of scoreless relief.

The Wildcats added to their 3-0 lead in the third when Arakawa led off with a double down the left field line – his second two-bagger of the game and his ninth in his last 33 at-bats – and came around to score on Meagher’s base hit to center field.

After Grand Canyon got on the board with a single run in the fourth, the Wildcats answered with a run in the bottom-half of the inning. Dodos led off with a double to center field, moved to third on Bret Ringer’s fly ball to right field, and scored on Kyle Eveland’s sacrifice fly to make it 5-1.

Chico State broke the game open with five more runs in the fifth. After Arakawa reached on an error, Eric Stephens walked and Cody Dee flipped an RBI-single to left field. Ringer then cleared the bases with a line triple to right center. Grand Canyon outfielders Tate Ford and Tyler Bair collided on the play and Bair left the game. Eveland wrapped up the day’s scoring with an RBI-single to center field that made it 10-1.

Chico State is back in non-conference action Tuesday night when they host Academy of Art at 6 p.m. They’ll wrap up their 2009 home slate next weekend with a four-game series against Cal State Stanislaus that starts Friday at 6 p.m.

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