CHICO – When the Chico State baseball team lost its series opener last season in Seaside, home of Cal State Monterey Bay, it marked the beginning of the end of Chico State’s season. This season’s matchup has a completely different feel. Instead of desperately seeking a spot in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament the Wildcats are simply playing for seeding this time around. And instead of entering the series following a disheartening loss as they did in 2009, the Wildcats are coming off three straight encouraging victories against West Region rival Western Oregon.
Chico State enters Friday’s series opener in fourth place in the CCAA and ranked No. 3 in the West Region at 30-16 overall and 22-14 in conference play. Cal State Monterey Bay is 8-37 overall and 4-32 in the CCAA. Friday’s game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. with a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday at noon the regular-season finale for both teams at noon on Sunday.
The games will be broadcast locally on ESPN Radio 101.7 FM and 1340 AM, as well as on the Chico State Athletics Web site’s Wildcat Webcast link.
The Wildcats are 14-2 all time against Cal State Monterey Bay, including 7-1 at home. They swept a four-game series against the Otters at Nettleton Stadium in 2008, outscoring them by a combined 57-10. Last year the Wildcats dropped the series opener 8-4 before responding to win three straight to finish the season. A number of returning Wildcats had strong series’. Friday night starter Michael Gleason made his start in a Chico State uniform in the season finale and allowed just one hit an one walk while striking out four in six shutout innings. Kevin Seaver went 8-for-12 with five doubles, Adam Arakawa doubled twice and drove in five runs in the series, and Jordan Larson also doubled twice and scored five runs. Jordan Lindebaum and Scott Newberry also pitched well that weekend.
Sunday’s pre-game introductions will feature a “Senior Day” celebration honoring Chico State’s nine seniors. It’s fitting that the game will take place against Cal State Monterey Bay, the team the Wildcats saw their season come to an end against last year. After that series, many of Chico State’s players with eligibility remaining vowed to get the team back into the postseason for the 15th time in 16 years in 2010.
They’ll walk out on the field Sunday proud to have accomplished that. Of the eight, seniors Kevin Seaver, Adam Arakawa, Ian Waldron, Brian Fowler, Deven Braden, Jordan Larson, and Michael Gleason were part of last year’s frustrating end to the campaign. Michael Murphy is the team’s only first-year senior. That ceremony will take place beginning at 11:55 Sunday.
While the Wildcats have clinched a spot in next weekend’s CCAA Championship Tournament, they could still climb into the No. 3 spot with a good series and a little help. They trail third-place Cal State Dominguez Hills by two games with four to play. However, because the Toros hold the tiebreaker against Chico State, the Wildcats will need to make up three games against the Toros as they wrap up their regular-season by hosting Cal State Stanislaus for four games.
The other post-season storyline worth watching this weekend is the battle for the four NCAA Championship Tournament berths allocated to the West Region. Chico State is currently ranked No. 3 in the West, behind No. 1 UC San Diego and No. 2 Cal State Dominguez Hills, and ahead fo No. 4 Cal State San Bernardino, No. 5 Hawaii Pacific, and No. 6 Western Oregon. The winner of the CCAA Championship will earn an automatic berth, with three at-large bids awaiting the three highest-ranked teams remaining.
