A spectacular sunset provided a breathtaking backdrop during the Chico State baseball team’s doubleheader sweep of visiting Northwest Nazarene Tuesday. But was that the sun going down, or one of Blake Gibbs’ two titanic home run balls orbiting the earth?
Gibbs hit two towering home runs in the Wildcats’ 8-5 win in the opener: one that went where few home runs go at Nettleton Stadium – just to the right of dead center field, and a moon ball that landed well beyond the left field wall. The strapping left fielder then tripled and scored to start the game-winning rally in the nightcap, which Chico State won 6-1.
Chico State improved to 8-2, including 6-0 at home, where they’ll play their next 20 games beginning with a four-game series against San Francisco State this weekend. Northwest Nazarene dipped to 7-3.
Gibbs’ power stroke stole the show Tuesday. The junior went 3-for-6 with three runs scored, two RBI, and walked three times. But the 15th-ranked Wildcats’ defense and pitching were impressive as well. The Wildcats didn’t commit an error Tuesday and made some not-so-routine plays too.
The pitching was outstanding at times. Mike Botelho notched his second and third saves of the season, striking out four in two and two-thirds hitless and scoreless innings. Austin Alva made his first appearance of the season and knocked down a hard ground ball to throw out the runner and earn the win in the opener. Sean Martin piled up four more scoreless innings to win the nightcap in his first start as a Wildcat, improving to 1-1. Chris Rodriguez struck out five of the 10 hitters he faced in two setup appearances.
Gibbs and Myles Dempsey set the tone for the day in the Wildcats’ three-run second inning in the opener. Gibbs smashed his home run to center field leading off the inning and Dempsey collected his first of four hits on the day with one out. Jordan Beck and TJ Yasuhara added RBI-singles.
Northwest Nazarene would fight back to tie the game, and then took a 5-4 lead in the sixth. But Gibbs tied the game with his home run with two down in the seventh and Dempsey singled home Cody Webber (who had walked) for what proved to be the game-winning run. Cody Foster and Eric Angerer drove in insurance runs in the eighth.
Gibbs helped to break a scoreless tie in the fourth inning of game two, leading off with a triple to left field and then scoring on Dempsey’s base hit. Ben Manlove’s RBI-single made it 2-0. The Crusaders got a run back in the fifth on Jon Matos’ solo shot, but Chico State put the game away with a four-run sixth. Foster, Angerer and Ian McKay drove in runs during the rally.
The Wildcats’ series against San Francisco State starts Friday at 2 p.m. at Nettleton Stadium. That game, like the entire four-game set, can be heard locally on Fox Sports 101.7 FM and 1340 AM and available online via the Wildcat Webcast link at www.chicowildcats.com.
GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
