Chico State Athletics

A day that began with great promise ended in frustration for the Chico State baseball team. The Wildcats were rolling early against rival Sonoma State, perhaps buoyed by their thrilling walk-off win the night before. But a 3-0 lead evaporated in the opener, eventually turning into a 7-6 loss in 13 innings. They dropped the nightcap 13-1.
 
Chico State fell to 5-4 overall and 4-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while Sonoma State improved to 5-8 and 2-5 in the CCAA.
 
The Wildcats will attempt to split the series Sunday at the Capital City Clash IV at Raley Field in Sacramento. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tickets are still available online HERE. They're an additional $5 the day of the game.
 

In the opener, the Wildcats scored twice in the second inning. Tyler Madrid hit a solo home run and Andrew Carrillo tacked on an RBI-single. Carrillo knocked in another run in the fourth. But four Sonoma State relievers combined to shutout Chico State over the next eight frames.
 
The Seawolves, meanwhile, scored two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to tie the game.
 
Chico State reliever Robert Hook halted the rally with four and two-thirds shutout innings. Fellow relievers Jace Puckett and Torgen Soderlund got the Wildcats to the 13^th before the wheels came off on the Wildcats.
 
Sonoma State got four runs in the 13^th to take the lead for good.
 
The Wildcats put together a rally and actually got the tying run aboard with nobody out, but couldn't quite finish the comeback.
 
The Seawolves kept the momentum rolling in the nightcap, batting around and scoring six times in the second and tacking on four in the third to put the game away.
 
Carrillo notched three hits in the opener and Peter Miller and Connor Huesers had two apiece.
 
Huesers went 2-for-3 in the nightcap with a stolen base. Dylan Garcia drove in the Wildcats' lone run.