STOCKTON – Two of its gutsiest pitching performances of the season propelled the Chico State baseball team into the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament title game.
 

Hunter Haworth allowed just two runs in a career-high eight innings as the Wildcats survived Friday morning's elimination game against Cal State Monterey Bay with a 4-2 win. Friday night, Steven Baker went a season-high seven-and-a-third, allowing just two runs, as the Wildcats beat Cal State East Bay 4-2.
 
Dillon Kelley homered in both games to lead the Chico State offense, and Josh Falco hit a tie-breaking two-run single in the bottom of the eighth against Cal State East Bay.
 
"That was a great day of baseball," Chico State Head Coach Dave Taylor said. "We pitched. We played catch. We executed offensively. Those are the ingredients you need to win a championship.
 
"And it never hurts to hit a few dingers."
 
Grant Wright saved the first game and earned the win in the second for the Wildcats, who will play either Cal State East Bay or Cal Poly Pomona Saturday at 4 p.m. for the tournament title. Those teams will tangle at noon for the right to face the Wildcats.
 
Haworth and Baker took different routes to the biggest and arguably best starts of their collegiate careers. Haworth, a sophomore, seems to be finding his groove after struggling through much of his first season and a half with the Wildcats. Baker, on the other hand, took the loss Thursday night, allowing the game-tying two-run double in the bottom of the ninth to the only hitter he faced, and has lost six straight decisions after a 4-0 start. 
 
Baker did not get a decision Friday. But he certainly got some redemption.
 
"Holy smokes. What a performance." Taylor said. "What a night he must have had last night dealing with all the disappointment. To get the ball one night later with a chance to move into the championship game and give us 120 pitches. Wow. That was way beyond expectations."
 
"That felt good," Baker said. "A lot better than last night, that's for sure."
 

Baker was a bit shaky in the first, allowing a run on a hit and two walks, but settled in after that.
 
In the seventh, however, it looked like his night might be over. The Pioneers loaded the bases with one out and Taylor had lefty reliever Colton Fletcher ready in the bullpen, presumably to face lefty Raymond Jones. But Taylor elected to stay with Baker, who struck out the Jones and then CCAA Player of the Year Rudy Navarro to end the inning.
 
"I keep running him out there because I know that he's going to compete," Taylor said. "He hasn't always performed the way he wants to perform but he always competes. And that's what we needed tonight – someone who was going to compete."
 
Baker got into more trouble in the eighth and this time Fletcher did relieve him, striking out the only hitter he faced. Wright came on to get the final out of the inning.
 
The Wildcats struggled to solve Cal State East Bay starter Angel Lara, who held them to five hits through seven.
 
But the Pioneers went to the bullpen in the eighth and the Wildcats pounced.
 
Cameron Santos led off with a swinging bunt that he beat out for a hit. Ben Gamba followed with a single to left. Kelley – he of the two mammoth home runs Friday – bunted them over. Pinch hitter Jerrett Maas was intentionally walked to load the bases for Josh Falco.
 
Falco delivered a two-run single through the left side of a drawn-in infield and the 'Cats led 4-2.
 
The Pioneers loaded the bases again in the ninth. With two down, Wright gave up two infield singles and then hit a batter before getting a fly ball to left for the final out. The Wildcats are now just one win away from their fourth CCAA Championship Tournament title and first since 2006.
 

Kelley homered leading off the second, driving the first pitch he saw into the Wildcats' bullpen in deep left-center. It was his seventh home run of the season, second of the day and sixth hit of the postseason.
 
He started the rally that gave the Wildcats lead the in the fourth with an infield hit. Braxton Phillips bunted him to second, and he moved to third on Falco's base hit. Andru Cardenas then came through with a perfectly executed safety squeeze to score Kelley for a 2-1 lead.

Cal State East Bay tied the game with an RBI-grounder in the sixth.
 
But Baker, Fletcher, Wright and Chico State's defense – which played error-free ball Friday – slammed the door after that.
 
"That was a great team win," Baker said. "The defense picked me up every time I needed it and the offense got us the runs we needed."
 
Falco finished the game 3-for-4. Santos and Kelley had two hits apiece.
 
Game 1 – Chico State 4, Cal State Monterey Bay 2
Haworth allowed just two runs in a career-high eight innings as the Wildcats survived Friday morning's elimination game against Cal State Monterey Bay with a 4-2 win.
 
Kelley homered and drove in three runs and Cody Bistline also went deep to pace the offense.
 

Both home runs were memorable, but Haworth's performance was the memory that will last.
 
His best start yet came on his biggest stage so far. Haworth gave up just five hits, walked four, and struck out five in a vital start that saved the Wildcats' bullpen ahead of what they hope will be two more tournament games.
 
"Me and coach (Taylor) have been working on some things to get me going north and south instead of east and west and it has really helped," said Haworth. "It feels good to be where I want to be and helping the team."
 
Haworth had twice completed seven innings in the first 18 starts of his career: last Feb. 21 at Stanislaus State and last Saturday at Stanislaus State.
 
According to Haworth, Bistline was a key factor in him eclipsing that mark.
 
"I was really struggling in the bullpen before the game," Haworth said. "Cody helped me figure some stuff out and get me into a groove."
 
Haworth allowed just one hit in the first three innings, and Snider threw that runner out trying to turn it into a double.
 
Chico State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first when Sonny Cortez walked, stole second, and scored on Kelley's line shot into center field.
 
Cal State Monterey Bay tied the score in the fourth before Haworth got a double-play ball to end the inning.
 
Kelley gave the 'Cats the lead for good in the fifth, catapulting a towering two-run shot over the 385-foot marker in deep left center. Santos, who singled ahead of him, also scored on the play to make it 3-1.
 

Bistline gave the Wildcats back-to-back innings of the long ball with a majestic rainbow-blast over the 12-foot wall down the left-field line.
 
The score remained 4-1 into the eighth. Haworth got a strikeout on three pitches to start the inning, but on his 100^th pitch of the day, Matt Urakami turned on a pitch and hit to out, trimming the lead to 4-2.
 
Haworth walked the next batter, and after getting ground ball out, hit the next. But Head Coach Dave Taylor stuck with Haworth and the move paid off. Haworth got Otters' leading home run hitter, Hayden Duer, to ground out to third to end the inning.
 
Wright came in from the bullpen to start the ninth and retired the Otters in order for his team leading third save and his second of the tournament.
 
Santos and Falco had two hits apiece.
 
2016 CCAA Championship Tournament
Banner Island Ballpark – Stockton, California
 
Wednesday, May 11
Game 1 – 11:00 a.m.: No. 6 Chico State 6, No. 1 Cal Poly Pomona 2
Game 2 – 3:00 p.m.: No. 2 Cal State East Bay 13, No. 5 Cal State San Bernardino
Game 3 – 7:00 p.m.: No. 3 Cal State Monterey Bay 11, No. 4 UC San Diego 7
 
Thursday, May 12
Game 4 – 11:00 a.m.: Cal Poly Pomona 6, Cal State San Bernardino 2 (San Bernardino eliminated)
Game 5 – 3:00 p.m.: UC San Diego 7, Chico State 6
Game 6 – 7:00 p.m.: Cal State East Bay 9, Cal State Monterey Bay 8
 
Friday, May 13
Game 7 – 11:00 a.m.: Chico State 4, Cal State Monterey Bay 2 (Cal State Monterey Bay eliminated)
Game 8 – 3:00 p.m.: Cal Poly Pomona 9, UC San Diego 6 (UC San Diego eliminated)
Game 9 – 7:00 p.m.: Chico State 4, Cal State East Bay 2
 
Saturday, May 14
Game 10 – 12:00 p.m.: Cal Poly Pomona vs. Cal State East Bay (elimination game)
Game 11 – 4:00 p.m.: Chico State vs. Winner Game 10