LA JOLLA – The crooked number was again to be found on the wrong linescore for the Chico State baseball team Sunday. Host UC San Diego scored four times in the sixth and held on to beat the Wildcats 4-2 Sunday.
 
The Wildcats got two runners on with one out in the sixth, a leadoff triple in the seventh, and two on with none out in the eighth, but the big inning never came.
 
Chico State fell to 6-8 overall and 5-6 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
 
Clayton Gelfand, making just his second collegiate start, gave the Wildcats five brilliant innings before running into trouble in the sixth. He had a three-hit shutout going and eight strikeouts through five. But a bases-clearing double with two down in the sixth gave the Tritons (17-7, 13-3 CCAA) all the offense they would need.
 
Robert Hook added a scoreless inning, AJ Epstein struck out the only batter he faced, and then Ryan O'Shea retired the side in order in the eighth, two via strikeout.
 
The Wildcats got a run back in the seventh when Connor Huesers led off with a triple and scored on Jeff Ortega's one-out grounder.
 
They cut the lead to 4-2 in the eighth but had visions of much more. Andrew Carrillo hit a leadoff double and then Sean Smith reached on an error to put runners on the corners. But they had to settle for just a single run on Danny Millers' one-out sacrifice fly.
 
Chico State is back in action next weekend with a four-game home series against Cal State San Bernardino, beginning Friday night at 6.