The Chico State baseball team rallied late, but its early deficit proved too large to overcome in an 11-7 loss to Cal Poly Pomona Friday night at Nettleton Stadium. The Wildcats scored four times in the sixth and once in the seventh to cut the lead to 8-6, but the high-powered Broncos offense kept adding on with some help from a season-high three Chico State errors.

Blake Gibbs finished 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI thanks to a homer and stolen base and Myles Dempsey and Ian McKay had two hits apiece for the 15th-ranked Wildcats, who fell to 11-4 overall and 5-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).

Cal Poly Pomona shortstop Mike Santoro went 4-for-5 with three runs and three RBI and hit one of three Broncos home runs. He also stole a pair of bags for Cal Poly Pomona, which improved to 12-4 overall and 5-4 in the CCAA. Donald Walter and Charles Ball also went deep for the Broncos, who handed Wildcats ace Kagen Hopkins his first loss of the season.

Hopkins surrendered six runs (five earned) on seven hits in five innings of work. He struck out six and walked a season-high three. The Broncos also touched Wildcats relievers Chris Rodriguez and Juan Guerra for two earned runs apiece.

BOX SCORE

The series continues with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at noon and concludes with a single game Sunday at 11 a.m.