TURLOCK—Starting pitchers Casey Costello and Joe Ryan matched zero for zero through six innings.
Then the Chico State baseball team was able to cash in a leadoff runner in the seventh inning while Stanislaus State did not.
That was all the difference needed in a pitchers' duel on Friday night as the ninth-ranked Wildcats won 1-0 in both the series opener and the first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) game as the two-time conference champion's quest begins for a third title.
Costello (2-0) threw seven scoreless innings as he struck out four batters without walking anyone and allowed a meager three hits.
Reliever Dan Beavers got his third save of the season as he escaped a pair of Stanislaus State threats in both of his innings in the eighth and ninth.
Chico State improved to 5-2 on the season. Stanislaus State dropped to 4-3.
While the Wildcats managed three doubles off Ryan, they finally scored on him without the benefit of an extra-base hit.
Pinch-hitter Nick Tingirides singled to left field to start the seventh inning. He advanced on Trevor Steinman's sacrifice bunt with two strikes before a balk sent Tingirides to third base. He scored on R.J. Hassey's groundout up the middle to second.
Ryan (2-1) was Costello's equal for much of the game, going eight innings and allowing four hits and one walk while striking out nine.
That made for a game that played out more like mid-May than mid-February. The later innings seemed to only heighten that sense as the Warriors had the tying run in scoring position in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
A Cody Kruip double led off the home half of the seventh inning as Stanislaus State tried to answer the 'Cats' run. Kruip reached third on a sacrifice bunt. But Costello got a strikeout before pinch-runner Nathaniel Thompson was thrown out at home as he tried to score when a pitch got away. Hassey, the catcher, recovered in time and threw to Costello covering the plate.
There was another Stanislaus threat in the eighth. Nikko Delgado was hit by a pitch and moved up on a sacrifice. Andrew Renteria walked and both runners advanced on a groundout. But Beavers came up big by striking out Jack Large to end the inning.
The Warriors wouldn't go quietly in the ninth, either. Ethan Utler's leadoff single led to Thompson reaching base on a fielder's choice as the lead runner was cut down. Andrew Wheat singled to Beavers, whose errant throw to second was saved by center fielder Jacob White backing up the play.
With the tying run at second base and the winning run on first, Beavers buckled down. He struck out Austin Fitzpatrick swinging and then struck out Delgado looking to end the game.
Costello now has 14 wins without a loss in his Wildcat career. He went 12-0 in 2017 while earning the West Region and CCAA Pitcher of the Year awards in his debut season at Chico State. The senior's latest outing continued a sterling stretch by starting pitchers to begin the season.
Costello, Grant Larson and Hilario Tovar, in seven combined starts, have accounted for 37.2 innings while striking out 50 batters and walking three. They are a combined 3-0 while posting an earned run average of 1.91.
And the Wildcats needed Costello to be as sharp as he was with Ryan locked in as well.
Stanislaus State had a scoring opportunity in the third inning when Vincenzo Margiotta reached on an error and advanced to second on a balk. But Santos, the national Gold Glove winner at third base in 2017, snared a line drive off the bat of Renteria before Costello picked off Margiotta, who was going on first movement.
A Casey Henderson double led off the Wildcats' half of the second inning. Trevor Steinman was hit by a pitch with one out and both him and Henderson advanced on a balk before Ryan got a strikeout to end the threat.
A Santos double to right field came with two outs in the third inning. But Ryan responded to retire the next nine batters in a row before Alex DeVito's double with two outs in the sixth. Ryan again responded with a strikeout to get out of it.
The double from Santos extended his hitting streak to start the season to seven games.
The series continues with a game at noon on Saturday in Turlock. Originally, the series was to conclude at Nettleton Stadium with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday in Chico. But expected weather could keep the series in Turlock on Sunday. A decision on Sunday's locale will be made Saturday.
