The rain that was expected to hit Chico appeared around the eighth inning of Saturday's Chico State-San Francisco State baseball game, but thanks to the game being moved up to an 11:15 a.m. start, the Wildcats and Gators were able to play the full nine innings. The fans who came out and braved the cold temperatures and stiff winds were treated to an outstanding pitching effort from Casey Costello, and with Cameron Santos providing several productive at-bats, the 'Cats turned in another winning performance, posting a 5-0 victory at Nettleton Stadium.
 
Saturday's win—Chico State's seventh straight and third in a row over the Gators—moved the Wildcats' to 14-4 on the season and improved their California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) North Division-leading record to 7-0. San Francisco State dropped to 3-12 overall and 1-6 in CCAA play.
 
Chico State also improved its home record to 9-0 on the year.
 
The Wildcats had just five hits on the afternoon, but took advantage of six walks issued by San Francisco State pitchers and three Gators errors to score in four straight innings. Santos posted a 3-for-4 day at the plate, driving in two Chico State runs and scoring another.
 
Costello turned in a masterful performance on the bump, scattering three hits over seven shutout innings to lower his season earned run average to a minuscule 0.64. Costello allowed just one Gators runner to reach second base the entire afternoon.
 
Chico State got on the board with a run in the bottom of the third inning, as Sonny Cortez scored from second on a Santos base hit to left. Two San Francisco State errors led to another Wildcat run in the fourth, then in the fifth Santos singled, went to second on a fielder's choice, stole third and scored when Jimbo Pernetti laid down a perfect safety squeeze bunt, giving the 'Cats a 3-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, a dropped fly ball off the bat of Andru Cardenas allowed Tyler Stofiel to score. Later in the frame Santos delivered a clutch two-out single to chase Cardenas home to make it 5-0.
 
That would prove more than enough offense for Costello, who after stringing together seven zeroes on the San Francisco State side of the scoreboard, handed the ball to reliever Anthony Baleto in the eighth inning. Working  through the raindrops, Baleto retired all six Gators batters he faced to lock down Chico State's 5-0 victory.
 
The Wildcats conclude their four-game set with San Francisco State Sunday with a seven-inning game scheduled to get underway at 11 a.m.