LA JOLLA – The top-ranked Chico State baseball team hung more runs on 7
th-ranked UC San Diego than any team has since 2015 in a 13–5 victory in the opener of a three-game series Saturday. But the Tritons bounced right back, becoming the first team in 86 games to keep the Wildcats off the scoreboard in a 7–0 win. Neither team has lost a series this season. That will change Sunday. The rubber match of the series is scheduled to start at noon.
Chico State, which had its seven-game win streak snapped in the nightcap, is now 28-6 overall and 21-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). UC San Diego remains 4.5 behind the defending conference champion Wildcats in the race for the CCAA title at 23-7 overall and 15-5 in the CCAA.
The Wildcats increased their lead in the North Division standings over Cal State Monterey Bay to eight with 15 games to play.
Chico State got the 13 runs in the first game despite managing just two hits in the first five frames. After UC San Diego broke open a scoreless tie with two runs in the fifth, the Wildcats answered with a five-spot in the sixth. They tacked on two insurance eighth and six more in the ninth.
The Tritons committed the game's first error to help set up the sixth-inning rally. Cody Snider bunted them over to second and third before Cameron Santos tied the game with a two-run single. Two hitters later, Josh Falco broke the tie with a three-run homer to left.
Falco notched his fourth RBI with a bunt single in the eighth, and Jimbo Pernetti plated Dillon Kelley (who walked) with a sacrifice fly to build the lead to 7–3.
UC San Diego was not ready to wave the white flag just yet. Four of the first five Tritons reached base in the bottom-half of the inning. But freshman Grant Larson, who prepped at San Diego's High Tech High, slammed the door, getting the final out of the inning.
The Wildcats put the game away in the ninth, batting around. Tyler Stofiel was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, Sonny Cortez cracked an RBI-single up the middle, and then Cody Snider slammed a two-run homer that bounced off the top of the scoreboard in right-center field.
Santos and Kelley singled, Falco was hit by a pitch, and then Jimbo Pernetti drew a bases-loaded walk. Casey Henderson drove the final nail with a two-run single through the right side.
Grant Wright pitched around a one-out single in the ninth to close out the contest.
Casey Costello collected the victory, improving to 8-0. Stuart Bradley provided two-plus innings of solid relief.
Falco finished the game 3-for-4. Cortez, Snider, and Santos had two hits apiece. Snider, Santos, Pernetti, and Henderson had two RBI each.
The Tritons responded to the drubbing quickly in game two, scoring five times in the first. That proved to be more than enough run support for starter Jack Rupe (1-1) and reliever Troy Cruz (S, 3), who combined on a seven-hitter.
Chico State starter Cam Greenough (5-1) was knocked out of the game in the fourth, absorbing his first loss of the season.
The Wildcats' only real offensive highlight of the nightcap came on Santos' first-inning triple. It was the 11
th of his career, tying him with Thom Eccleston (1984-85) for most in school history.
Sunday's series finale will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY.
