Chico State finished last baseball season with a series against Cal State East Bay to determine who would finish sixth in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The Pioneers beat the Wildcats on Senior Day, taking the series, and ending a disappointing 2015 campaign for Chico State before May 1.
August and a new school year brought a plethora of fresh ballplayers to campus. Only nine players remain from last year's roster. As the calendar pages turned, the new group bonded over competition, the grind of 5:45 a.m. weights, and a systemic belief that putting on a 'Cats jersey bonds you with this program and its alumni for life.
Far too often, sports teams are referred to as families without actually displaying qualities that would indicate so. If there were any questions about these Wildcats' brotherhood, they were laid to rest after last week.
The team discovered earlier this year that senior Tony Roque had never played a collegiate game in front of his mom, Josefina Roque. Spearheaded by Braxton Phillips, Clayton Gelfand, and Evan Sinclair, the 'Cats gathered enough money for a hotel and flight so Roque's mother could travel from Idaho and be at last weekend's home series.
Last Thursday, as practice finished up and his team huddled around him, Roque looked on unknowingly. Gelfand spoke briefly and his teammates parted to reveal Roque's mom walking onto the grass down the right field line. They embraced, like only a mother and child can. Thirty-plus men looked on gleefully and clapped.
The 'Cats gave the Roques a moment of a lifetime and grew closer in doing so. Now, this squad has more memories to make and trips to take. If the 'Cats have it their way,
possibly even a flight to North Carolina for the NCAA Division II Baseball Championships in May.
———
Ten months after Cal State East Bay ended the 'Cats' 2015 season, these teams will meet in Hayward with both winning percentages well over .500 and CCAA North Division positioning on the line.
The series gets underway Thursday with a single game at 2 p.m., continues with a doubleheader Friday at 11 a.m., and concludes with a single game Saturday at 11 a.m. All four games will be broadcast on the Chico State Athletics website and Saturday's game will also be carried locally on AM-1290 KPAY.
Chico State enters the series coming off a home split with 14th ranked Cal State Monterey Bay. Cal State East Bay also split their series against Stanislaus State.
The 'Cats showed a little bit of everything last weekend, highlighting their durability and fight at the plate and on the mound.
They will need both qualities to be present again starting Thursday, especially the arms, as they face a team hitting .347 — good for first in the CCAA and tied for 17th best in the nation. Rudy Navarro and Ryan Wheat pace the hot-hitting Pioneers' lineup. Navarro is second in the CCAA with a .472 average and has driven in 17 runs. Overall, they have nine players with qualifying batting average's hitting .340 or better.
The 'Cats hold an advantage on the mound going into the series, according to the numbers. Chico ranks third in ERA (2.69) in the CCAA while Cal State East Bay is seventh (3.36).
Game one will most likely pit two of the premier starting pitchers in the conference against each other. Clayton Gelfand has continued to solidify the top spot in the rotation for Chico State. The junior is 2-2 with an ERA sitting at 1.15, good enough for fourth best in the CCAA behind three pitchers who have each thrown at least 12 innings less than him. Cal State East Bay's Alex Vesia was the CCAA Freshman of the Year in 2015 and has continued his success this year going 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA while striking out 23 over 24 innings.
Chico State's bullpen has become a stronghold once again. Hunter Haworth has shined, posting a 1.04 ERA with two saves in his relief appearances. The sophomore may be called on to start a game this weekend, as was the case last week against Cal State Monterey Bay.
The Wildcats are led on offense by Sonny Cortez and Ben Gamba. Cortez has been the definition of a table setter this year, batting .390 with an on-base percentage of .500 while starting every game in the leadoff spot. Gamba enjoyed a solid weekend against the Otters and is now hitting .352 while leading the team in walks and RBI.
As a team, Chico State's hitters are leading the conference in sacrifice bunts and hit by pitches. The team is 9-0 when scoring first this year.
East Bay took the last series between these two, 3-1, but the all-time series is still securely with Chico State. The 'Cats are 42-20 against the Pioneers overall.
