POMONA – It must have felt like a blooping brutal finish for the players on the Chico State baseball team. The Wildcats twice led 11^th-ranked Cal Poly Pomona Friday before falling 6-5 in 10 innings on a walk-off bloop single. With two down and a runner on second in the 10^th, Jacob Bernardy hit a pop up to shallow left that fell between a diving Cody Slader and sliding Connor Huesers for the game winner.
 
Chico State led 2-0 early and then 5-4 in the eighth, but couldn't hold off the Broncos.
 
The Wildcats fell to 9-10 overall and 8-8 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while Cal Poly Pomona improved to 17-6 and 9-4. The Broncos are now 6-0 at home.
 
Dylan Garcia and Danny Miller had RBI-singles during Chico State's three-run eighth that gave the Wildcats a 5-4 lead. Garcia galloped around from second on a throwing error to score the go-ahead run.
 
But a one-out walk and Bernardy's RBI-double tied the game in the bottom of the eighth.
 
The Wildcats were retired in order in the ninth and 10^th before the Broncos pushed across the game winner after opening the 10^th with a leadoff walk and sacrifice bunt.
 
Kurt Laver took the loss for the Wildcats despite allowing just the one hit in two innings of work. Starter Luke Barker allowed two runs on six hits in six innings.
 
Garcia, Tyler Madrid and Sean Smith had two hits apiece for the Wildcats. Huesers scored two runs.
 
Smith singled and then Huesers and Madrid were hit by pitches to set the table for Chico State's two-run first inning. Smith scored on a wild pitch and Huesers on an error.
 
The series continues with a doubleheader Saturday at 11 a.m. and concludes with a single game Sunday at noon. All three games will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY.