POMONA – The Chico State baseball team had all night to spend thinking about completing the job. Then they went out and did it in impressive fashion. Ahead 6-0 in the top of the eighth when their game at Cal Poly Pomona was halted by rain on Friday, the Wildcats put three more runs on the board before the host Broncos even had a chance to get back in it and won 9-0 Saturday morning at Scolinos Field.

Shane Kroker singled in Friday’s last at-bat and started Saturday’s action on first base. He wasn’t there for long. Ben Manlove singled to left to move him to second and Cody Foster moved up both baserunners with a sacrifice bunt. Ian McKay’s single plated Kroker and Manlove came all the way around on an error on the throw back into the infield. Dillon Usiak’s RBI-double put the finishing touches on the inning.

Sheldon Lechuga, who pitched the seventh inning Friday, put up two more zeroes Saturday to earn his first save for the Wildcats. He scattered three hits and walked two in his three innings of work and has now posted seven and two thirds scoreless innings to start the season.

Ryan O’Shea, who pitched six strong innings Friday, picked up his first collegiate win. He allowed just two hits and struck out six.

Kroker finished with four hits in five at-bats. McKay went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Foster, Usiak, Jackson Evans and Adrian Bringas banged out two hits apiece and Evans swiped two bases.

The Wildcats improved to 3-1 with their first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) win of the young season. They’re 1-1 in the CCAA, having dropped Friday’s first game.

The loss was Cal Poly Pomona’s first of the season. The Broncos are 7-1 overall and 1-1 in the CCAA under first-year Head Coach Randy Betten.

The Wildcats are hoping it’s not their last loss. The same two teams tangle in a doubleheader Sunday beginning at 10 AM. The Wildcats will then return home to begin preparations for their three-game non-conference home series against Montana State-Billings Feb. 27-28.

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