POMONA – The results were so-so. But the fight the Chico State baseball team displayed in earning a doubleheader split at 11^th-ranked Cal Poly Pomona Saturday should be so inspiring to the Wildcats as they head toward the second half of the conference schedule.
 
Sean Smith's RBI-single capped a huge comeback for the 'Cats in an 11-10 victory in the first game. Cal Poly Pomona won the second game 3-1.
 
The Wildcats trailed 7-1 and then 10-6 before scoring three times in the seventh and two more times in the ninth to pull out a much-needed victory.
 

Chico State is now 10-11 overall and 9-9 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association and finished the day a game and a half behind San Francisco State for the fourth and final CCAA Championship Tournament slot.
 
Cal Poly Pomona, which had not lost a home game before the Wildcats' come-from-behind win on Saturday, is now 18-7 overall and 10-5 in the CCAA.
 
In the seventh, Tyler Madrid and Andrew Carrillo hit consecutive RBI doubles and Alex Michaels' RBI-grounder drew the Wildcats to within 10-9.
 
In the ninth, pinch hitter Clayton Gelfand tied the game with a base hit and then Smith smacked the go-ahead single to left.
 
Ryan O'Shea worked around a one-out walk to save the game in the ninth. The senior has now pitched five no-hit innings en route to three saves this season.
 
Dylan Garcia led the Wildcats with three hits and two RBI. Smith and Michaels also drove in two runs apiece. Connor Huesers and Carrillo cracked two hits apiece.
 
AJ Epstein (3-1) collected the win with an inning and a third of scoreless relief. Jace Puckett also pitched well, getting the Wildcats out of a jam in the sixth and throwing a scoreless inning.
 
The Wildcats nearly pulled off another comeback victory in the nightcap.
 
Trailing 2-1 with two on in the sixth, Huesers hit a deep drive to right center that looked as though it would give the Wildcats the lead. Instead, center fielder Kyle Garlick tracked it down in the gap and doubled off Garcia at second base to end the Wildcats' last major scoring threat.
 
Freshman starter Hunter Haworth pitched five and two-thirds effective innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits.
 
Garcia led the offensive attack with two hits and Carrillo drove in the Wildcats' lone run with a single in the fourth.
 
Garcia is now 7-for-13 with three multi-hit games in the series. That gives the senior five multi-hit games in the last seven. He's raised his batting average from .261 to .342 during that stretch.
 
The series concludes Sunday with a single game at 11 a.m. Mike Baca will be calling the play-by-play on AM-1290 KPAY.