“On the road again - just can’t wait to get on the road again. The life I love is making music with my friends, and I can’t wait to get on the road again. On the road again - goin' places that I've never been. Seein' things that I may never see again. And I can't wait to get on the road again. On the road again - like a band of gypsies we go down the highway. We’re the best of friends. Insisting that the world keep turning our way, and our way, is on the road again.” – from Willie Nelson’s “On The Road Again”

“Just can’t wait to get on the road again.”
Chico State’s baseball players might not necessarily be singing along with Willie Nelson on their way to Pomona this weekend. In fact, the ’Cats are probably glad to know that it’s their final road trip of the regular season. But the wear and tear of the road hasn’t affected the Wildcats, who have posted an impressive 16-4 record away from Nettleton Stadium.

Five of those wins came during Chico State’s current 13-game win streak. The ‘Cats will look to sweep Cal Poly Pomona in hopes of becoming the third team in Chico State baseball history with a 17-game streak, alongside the 1999-2000 and the 2002 team.

Following this weekend, they’ll finish with 11 of their last 12 games at home, the lone exception being the Capital City Clash II in Sacramento on April 28.

The Wildcats are currently ranked third in the nation at 27-5, matching their highest ranking of the year, and lead the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a conference record of 20-4.

Cal Poly Pomona, picked in the preseason to finish third in the CCAA, is currently in sixth place at 15-13. The Broncos are coming off a four-game sweep of Cal State Stanislaus and 22-15 overall. The top four teams in conference advance to the CCAA Championship Tournament. Therefore the Broncos will be trying to move up in the standings.

Since 1994, the two teams have played a total of 72 times, with Chico taking 46 of those games and the Broncos taking 26.

The series starts with a single game this Friday at 12 p.m., continues with a doubleheader Saturday at 11 a.m., and concludes with a single game Sunday at 11 a.m. Friday’s game will be broadcast on 101.7 FM Fox Sports, while the three other games will be broadcast on AM 1290 KPAY. All four games will be streamed online via the Wildcat Webcast link at www.chicowildcats.com.

“The life I love is making music with my friends.”
The life the Wildcats love is playing defense with their friends. This streak hasn’t come by sheer luck, but by willpower, talent and good old-fashioned hard-nosed ball. Offense may sell tickets, but the ’Cats are proving that defense wins games. Their defense has played an impeccable 61 consecutive innings of error-free baseball, boosting their fielding percentage to .973. That percentage is led by their starting first basemen Eric Angerer, who has posted a .996 average. The team has a chance to break the current school fielding record percentage of .974.

The catching tandem of Jake Bailey and Ben Manlove has also played a huge role in the defense’s success, and will continue to play do so. The pair has combined to throw out 11 of 22 base runners attempting to steal against them. They’ve also picked five runners off the base paths.

The team has also been bolstered by its pitching staff, which boasts a 2.76 earned run average. Chico State’s current starting rotation of Nick Baker, Troy Neiman, Mike Botelho and Kagen Hopkins has a combined ERA of 1.74 and a record of 20-3.

“Insisting that the world keep turning our way.”
Whether the Wildcats are listening to Tupac, Tim McGraw or Willie Nelson on their way down south, they will be looking to extend their winning streak on the road, insisting that the world of Division II baseball keep turning their way as they head down the highway.