TURLOCK – The veteran members of the Chico State baseball team took it upon themselves to make sure the Wildcats got off on the right foot in California Collegiate Athletic Association play Friday night.
 
Starting pitcher Luke Barker set the tone in the 5-1 victory at Cal State Stanislaus, striking out a career-high 11 in a complete-game three-hitter. Tyler Madrid's second-inning solo home run gave Chico State the lead for good. Dylan Garcia drove in the game's second run, and Peter Miller put the Wildcats in control with a two-run double in the seventh.
 
Chico State improved to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the CCAA while Cal State Stanislaus slipped to 5-6.
 
The series continues with a doubleheader Saturday at noon and concludes with a single game Sunday at noon.
 

Barker retired the first 11 batters he faced. In the meantime, Madrid crushed a ball over the right-field scoreboard in the second to stake the Wildcats to a 1-0 lead. It was his first home run of the season.
 
Madrid and Jeff Ortega drew consecutive two-out walks in the sixth and then Garcia singled through the right side to plate Madrid for a 2-0 lead.
 
Cal State Stanislaus cut the lead in half in the sixth but sacrificed the final out of the inning by getting caught in a rundown.
 
Miller made it hurt in the following inning, lacing a laser two-run double to right-center to make it 4-1. Connor Huesers singled and Alex Michaels walked to set the table
 
The Widcats added an insurance run in the eighth. James Hatano walked and Huesers was hit by a pitch to set the table for Michaels, who drove in Hatano with a single through the right side.
 
Huesers had a home run taken away in the 5^th. Cal State Stanislaus outfielder Klayton Miller climbed the five-foot fence in left field and reached his glove high before flipping halfway over the fence. When he rose back up, he had the ball.