ROHNERT PARK—The Chico State baseball team did not waste any time rebounding from a rough opening game. The Wildcats scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the second, eventually rolling to an 8-3 victory over Sonoma State in the nightcap. They dropped Saturday's opener 12-5 and have now won two of the first three in the series.
 
Chico State is now 7-4 overall and 3-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Sonoma State is 5-4 overall and 1-2 in the CCAA. The series concludes with a single game Sunday at noon.
 
In the opener, Luke Hussung hit his first home run as a Wildcat, Casey Henderson had two hits (including a double), and Alex Pallios drove in two runs, but the Seawolves won thanks to a three-run third inning and five-run fifth.
 
Their 12 runs were the most scored against the Wildcats this season.
 
But Chico State bounced right back in game two.

 
Dustin Miller led off the game with a hit and Kyle Blakeman drew a walk to set the table. Alex DeVito drove in Miller with a base hit up the middle, and Henderson hit a grounder to bring Blakeman home.
 
Hussung and Miller then hit consecutive one-out singles in the second inning and later scored—Hussung on Blakeman's infield single and Miller on a wild pitch—to stretch the lead to 4-0.
 
That was all the help Wildcats starter Grant Larson needed. The sophomore allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits in five innings. He struck out six, improving to 2-0. Anthony Baleto and Jae Wagner followed with a scoreless inning apiece to close out the game.
 
Already leading, Chico State broke the game open in the fourth. Cameron Santos got things started with a one-out single and then stole second and third, scoring on a throw that got away down the left-field line. RJ Hassey singled in a run, and Hussung drew a bases-loaded walk to stretch the lead to 7-1.
 
Hassey led off the sixth with a double and scored on Pallios' double to cap Chico State's scoring.
 
Miller, Blakeman, Hassey, and Pallios had two hits apiece for the Wildcats and Hussung went 1-for-1 and drew three walks.
 
Chico State hopes to win the series Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon. The game will be broadcast locally on AM 1290-KPAY. Links to live stats, live video, and streaming audio are available in the calendar section on the homepage and on the baseball schedule page.