The Chico State baseball team laid it on San Francisco State in Saturday’s first game, but laid an egg in the nightcap. Ian McKay notched five hits and scored five runs and Cody Foster and Blake Gibbs drove in four runs apiece as the Wildcats scored in every inning in the opener.
That streak came to a screeching halt in game two, however, as the Gators built a 3-0 lead before Chico State broke through in the fourth, and San Francisco State never trailed in handing the Wildcats their first home loss of the season.
Chico State, ranked No. 15 in the nation entering the weekend, dipped to 10-3 on the season and 4-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). San Francisco State is now 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the CCAA. First pitch for Sunday’s series finale is scheduled for 11 a.m.
McKay came within a whisker of tying Chico State’s single-game hits record in the first game. He singled and scored in the first, second and sixth,
doubled and scored in the seventh, and hammered a two-run homer to left in the eighth. But he was robbed of extra bases in the fourth when Gators third baseman Miguel Flores made a backhanded stab of a shot down the third base line and strong throw across the diamond to get him by a half step.
Foster and Kroker also went yard as the Wildcats piled up eight extra-base hits. Kroker was 2-for-4 with three RBI and Austin Prott tripled and drove in two runs.
Starter Ryan O’Shea improved to 3-0 in three starts, allowing just one run on five hits in six innings of work. The sophomore struck out six and walked one. Nick Baker added on two scoreless innings in his first relief appearance.
But the Wildcats were perhaps resting on their opening game laurels in the nightcap, and fell behind 3-0 against Gators starter Matthew Cummins, who entered the game with an ERA above 11 following his first two starts of the season. They finally got to him in the fourth, scoring twice on Cody Webber led off with a single and came around to score on a wild pitch and Ben Manlove hit a sacrifice fly.
They tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth when Foster led off with a single and scored on Myles Dempsey’s RBI-single, but Manlove took a called strike three to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded.
San Francisco State struck quickly with two runs in the sixth to re-take the lead and added a run in the top of the seventh to make it 6-3.
The Wildcats threatened in their final at-bat. Blake Gibbs drew a leadoff walk, and with two down, Kroker brought him home with a ground ball up the middle, leaving runners on the corners for pinch-hitter Roger Boulden. He struck out on three pitches, however, and the Wildcats were forced to settle for a split.
Foster and Kroker finished with two hits apiece.
Wildcats starter Troy Neiman got a no-decision in his first collegiate start despite striking out seven in five innings of work. He allowed three runs on four hits and two walks in five innings of work. Sean Martin (2-2) surrendered two runs on four hits in the sixth and took the loss.
GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
