Luke Barker has spent his entire life attending Chico State athletics events. He participated in one for the first time on Saturday. Barker, son of Wildcats Athletic Director Anita Barker and Head Athletic Trainer Scott Barker, was one of three locals who made big contributions to the Wildcats’ 14-6 opening game win in their doubleheader sweep of visiting Saint Martin’s at Nettleton Stadium, going five innings to earn the win in his first collegiate start. They won the second game 6-2.
Barker, a redshirt freshman from Chico’s Pleasant Valley High School, struck out seven in five innings of work to get the win in his first collegiate start.
After a shaky first inning, Barker allowed just one unearned run over his final four frames and retired eight of the last nine hitters he faced, wrapping up his afternoon with consecutive strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Prott paced the offense with a two-run double in the first and an RBI-triple in the third as the Wildcats built an early lead. The Chico High School and Butte College product accounted for five of the Wildcats’ first six runs via RBI or runs scored.
Willows High School and Butte College product Will Enos pitched a scoreless ninth.
The 12th-ranked Wildcats improved to 3-0 and will attempt to complete the series sweep Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
Cody Foster also made a big contribution in the opener, going 2-for-3 with a base-clearing double. TJ Yasuhara was 2-for-4 with a pair of stolen bases. Colton Hamill and Myles Dempsey also drove in two runs apiece.
Ryan O’Shea earned the win in Saturday’s second game, striking out 10 in six innings of work. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks in his first start of the season. Projected Mike Botelho set the Saints down in order in the seventh.
Sophomore first baseman Eric Angerer smashed his first collegiate home run, a three-run blast to left field that gave the Wildcats a 4-0 lead in the second. Angerer and Yasuhara had two hits apiece. Hamill, Yasuhara and Ben Manlove had the Wildcats’ other RBI.
Foster went 1-for-4 to push his hitting streak to 12 games dating back to last season. Angerer has now hit safely in eight in a row.
The Wildcats’ pitching staff struck out 20 and walked just six in 16 innings. The Saints’ staff wasn’t nearly as accurate, beaning six Wildcats in the opener (Foster was hit three times) and seven on the day.
GAME 1 BOX
GAME 2 BOX
