Box Score POMONA – It turns out the Chico State baseball team isn’t perfect. The Wildcats’ defense finally made an error and starting pitcher Nick Baker actually allowed a crooked number. But they’re still really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really good.
In case you weren’t counting, that one “really” for each of Chico State’s 14 consecutive wins.
Myles Dempsey, Ryne Clark, Ben Manlove and Roger Boulden each drove in runs as the Wildcats rallied to take a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning, and they kept adding on to beat Cal Poly Pomona 8-2 Friday afternoon.
Chico State improved to 28-5 overall and 21-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with the win. Cal Poly Pomona, picked to finish third in the CCAA’s preseason Coaches’ Poll, fell to 23-16 overall and 15-14 in the CCAA.
The 3rd-ranked Wildcats’ 14-game win streak matches the fourth longest in Chico State history and is the longest since 2006.
Baker gave up two runs on three straight hits in the second, allowing two runs in an inning for the first time this season, but posted five shutout frames after that to improve to 7-0. The junior righthander allowed the two runs on seven hits in seven innings as his ERA – the 2nd lowest in the nation entering the weekend – rose to 0.97. He did not walk or strikeout a batter and induced a pair of inning-ending double plays. It was Baker’s 21st career win, tying him with Nick Bryant for the 5th most in school history.
Sean Martin pitched two hit-free innings to wrap things up.
Boulden’s dropped fly ball in the fourth ended the Wildcats’ streak of consecutive error-free innings at 64 and put the tying run on base for Cal Poly Pomona. But the defense more than made up for it with a number of great plays. Clark provided the defensive play of the game later in the inning, sprinting in from right field to make a shoe-top grab of Tony Eusebio’s sinking liner and then doubling the runner off second to end the inning.
Clark collected hits in each of his first three at-bats, making him six for his last six, before he finally made an out with an RBI grounder in the seventh that stretched Chico State’s lead to 6-2. Eric Angerer, who had singled home a run in the sixth, hit an RBI-double in the eighth before coming around to score on Blake Gibbs’ single to center.
The Wildcats looked a bit out of sorts against Cal Poly Pomona lefty Max Bethell the first time through the lineup, getting only Clark’s bunt single. But the first seven batters to come to the plate fourth reached base, resulting in a four-run uprising.
Gibbs and Jon Peters walked before Dempsey drove a line single to center to plate Gibbs and cut the lead to 2-1. Clark followed with a game-tying single to center. Then, in 500th at-bat of his career, Manlove muscled an RBI-single through the left side to give Chico State the lead for good.
Chico State’s last 2013 road series continues with a doubleheader Saturday at 11 a.m. and concludes with a single game Sunday at 11.
GAME NOTES – Chico State’s defense has now played 61 consecutive innings of error-free ball to raise its fielding percentage to .973. The school record is .974…Pierson Jeremiah’s leadoff base hit in the fourth extended his hitting streak to 13 games, the longest by a Wildcat this season…The Wildcats improved to 17-4 on the road this season...They’ve won six straight road games…Chico State improved to 25-0 when leading after five innings…Manlove is the sixth player in Chico State baseball history to rack up 500-plus at-bats. The others are Jeff Walker (733, 2002-05), Kevin Miller (595, 1987-90), Barry Miller (586, 1984-87), Kevin Carr (521, 1988-91) and Ryan Wulfert (514, 2001-04).
Longest win streaks in Chico State baseball history
2002: 20
1999-2000: 17
1997: 15
2006: 14
2013: 14
2007: 13
2000: 13
