STOCKTON, Calif. – The ever-expanding book of outstanding Chico State baseball postseason performances gained another chapter Friday. New to the index, on the same list as Sasser's Scamper, Gregory's Cemetery Shot, Rieck's Relief, and Hernandez's Heroics, and others, is this: RJ Hassey – The Improbable Hero.
A late-inning replacement with the Wildcats trailing by three, Hassey capped a game-tying rally in the eighth with a two-run double, and then laid down the game-winning bunt single on a safety squeeze in the 10
th as the Wildcats walked off on Cal Poly Pomona 9–8 at Banner Island Ballpark, advancing to California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament (CCAA) title game.
"That's too cool right there," Hassey said. "If someone told me I was going to hit the tying double and walk it off. No way."
Way.
The Wildcats will play Friday night's Cal Poly Pomona-UC San Diego winner Saturday at noon. A win would mean Chico State's second straight CCAA Tournament title. The Cal Poly Pomona-UC San Diego winner would have to beat the Wildcats twice Saturday to wrestle the crown away. Every Chico State postseason game will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY. Links to the online stream, video stream, and live stats are available at
www.chicowildcats.com in the calendar section on the homepage and on the baseball schedule page.
Casey Bennett (4) congratulations Casey
Henderson (11) after he scored the winning run.
(All photos by Amanda Rosas)
As is often the case with a meaty chapter, Friday's featured a number of important sub-plots. But the title belongs to Hassey. The transfer from Cuesta Community College had just 31 at-bats this season prior to the game. Numbers 34 and 35 were two of the team's biggest of the season, however.
Head Coach Dave Taylor wasn't surprised by Hassey's success. But he was awestruck by the way the game played out.
"It's almost surreal to have witnessed all the different ways we've found ways to win," Taylor said. "It's almost overwhelming. RJ was slated to be the guy before the season and it just didn't work out that way. But you would never have known that by his attitude. He brings high energy and positivity every single day. He's an important piece to this puzzle and it's good to see him feel that."
Chico State trailed 7–5 when Hassey strode to the plate in the eighth with two down and runners on the corners. He was ready for the moment.
"Coach Taylor does a good job of getting everyone ready every day," Hassey said. "I'm used to going in there late in a close game. So I was confident and excited and ready for the opportunity."
Hassey hammered a liner over the third-baseman's head and down into the corner, allowing Josh Falco to trot home and Jerrett Maas to score the tying run all the way from first and tie the game
Two innings later, Hassey was back at the plate with runners on the corners. He may have been fresh off a two-run double, but he was prepared when asked to bunt.
"We practice that every day. I knew it was a possibility and I was confident when I got the sign," Hassey said. "It got up in the air a little, but once I saw it hit the ground I knew it was good.
Hassey actually got further around the bases on his game-winning single as his teammates chased him around the infield, eventually catching him between second and third and enveloping him in ecstacy.
Nicholas Padilla was out there celebrating. The senior's sacrifice bunt in just his fourth plate appearance of the season moved Henderson to third after his leadoff double. Maas was out there celebrating. His pinch-hit single in the eighth helped spark the game-tying rally. Trevor Steinman was out there celebrating. He had a pinch-hit single and scored in the seventh.
"The bench has been great for us all year as far as guys being ready when their name is called," Taylor said. "When you are winning like we are, guys all want to be a piece to the puzzle, and one through 28 they all are."
Casey Henderson slides home for the winning run.
The bench and the bullpen were both important pieces to the latest Wildcats comeback. Chico State, 44-8 on the season, is now 5-4 when trailing after seven innings this season.
"The fight we have is off the charts," Taylor said. "I've been coaching since 1992 and I've never been around a group like this that just ratchets up the level of energy like this. When we're down we just crank it up a little bit more."
Dan Beavers (2-1) pitched a scoreless 10
th to earn the win after saving Chico State's first two wins of the tournament. Stuart Bradley, Grant Wright, and Anthony Baleto also pitched effectively in relief of starter Cam Greenough, who pitched well until running into trouble in the fourth and allowing four runs.
New numbers are being added to Dillon Kelley's chapter every day. Kelley homered twice and drove in three runs. His two-run blast in the first gave Chico State the lead, which he added to with an RBI-squeeze bunt in the third that made it 3–0.
Over the past two CCAA Tournaments at Banner Island Ballpark Kelley is now 17-for-30 with five home runs and 12 RBI in eight games.
His bunt was the 76
th sacrifice of Chico State's season, breaking the school record.
The Broncos scored four in the fourth and two more in the fifth to build a 6–3 lead. With two down in the fourth, Henderson ranged behind the second base bag to scoop up a grounder and then threw low to first in an attempt to get the speedy leadoff hitter Chris Stratton. Kelley and Taylor argued adamantly the Kelley dug it out at first, but the first-base umpire signaled that the ball had been bobbled and the Broncos scored two on the play.
Chico State got a run back in the seventh when Steinman singled and scored on Cody Snider's base hit.
Cal Poly Pomona punched right back with a run in the eighth to stretch the lead back to three. But it was not to be for the Broncos on this day.
Kelley roped a solo home run inside the left-field foul pole leading off the eighth. Falco then stretched his streak of reaching base to 42 consecutive games with a line single to right. Maas' seventh career pinch hit set the stage for Hassey's heroics.
GAME NOTES – Wildcats leadoff hitter Sonny Cortez finished 1-for-2 with three walks, scored twice, and stole two bases...They are 36-1 when scoring five or more runs…They are 13-4 in games decided by two runs or fewer…Snider has now hit safely in eight straight games.
2017 CCAA Baseball Tournament –
Bracket
Banner Island Ballpark; Stockton, Calif.
May 10-13, 2017
| Wednesday, May 10 |
|
| Game 1 – 11:00 a.m. |
No. 1 Chico State 9, No. 6 Cal State L.A. 8 |
| Game 2 – 3:00 p.m. |
No. 2 Cal Poly Pomona 6, No. 5 Cal State Monterey Bay 3 |
| Game 3 – 7:00 p.m. |
No. 3 UC San Diego 6, No. 4 Stanislaus State 1 |
|
|
| Thursday, May 11 |
|
| Game 4 – 11:00 a.m. |
Cal State L.A. 3, Cal State Monterey Bay 2 (CSUMB eliminated) |
| Game 5 – 3:00 p.m. |
Chico State 5, vs. Stanislaus State 3 (Stanislaus State eliminated) |
| Game 6 – 7:00 p.m. |
Cal Poly Pomona 9, UC San Diego 8 (11) |
|
|
| Friday, May 12 |
|
| Game 7 – 11:00 a.m. |
Chico State 9, Cal Poly Pomona 8 (10) |
| Game 8 – 4:00 p.m. |
UC San Diego 16, Cal State L.A. 6 (Cal State L.A. eliminated) |
| Game 9 – 8:20 p.m. |
Cal Poly Pomona vs. UC San Diego (Loser eliminated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Saturday, May 13 |
|
| Game 10 – 12:00 p.m. |
Championship: Winner of game 7 vs. Winner of game 9 |
| Game 11 – 4:00 p.m. |
If-necessary |
|
|
|
|
Dillon Kelley homered twice Friday and is now 17-for-30 with five home runs and 12 RBI in eight career
games at Banner Island Ballpark. (Photo by Amanda Rosas)
