It turned out to be a beautiful day for a ball game. The result wasn't quite so picturesque.
The Cal State San Bernardino baseball team grabbed an early lead, and the Coyotes would not relinquish their advantage against Chico State in an 11-3 victory Sunday at Nettleton Stadium.
That meant the Wildcats would settle for a split in the four-game series after taking the first two contests against the visitors.
Chico State is now 12-10 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and 16-12 overall. Cal State San Bernardino is 9-11 in the CCAA and 9-17 overall.
The Wildcats will leave Wednesday for their next four-game set with a sojourn to Cal State LA that begins with a 6 p.m. game Thursday. The Golden Eagles lead the CCAA depending on how the series concludes between Cal State Monterey Bay and UC San Diego, the two teams that trail LA by percentage points. The Otters and Tritons are scheduled to play a doubleheader Monday to finish their set.
While wet weather stopped that series from wrapping up Sunday as originally scheduled, the Wildcats and the Coyotes adjusted theirs by moving game times up on Friday and Saturday. Sunday's 11 a.m. game wasn't changed, and the scene at Nettleton Stadium was one of the nicer afternoons fans could have taken in a game so far this season.
But the Wildcats were unable to match the environment with five miscues in the field and scuffling with runners in scoring position prevented the hosts from making more of a comeback against the San Bernardino bullpen.
Four Wildcats—RJ Hassey, Brian Pozos, Tyler Stofiel, and Luke Hussung—provided a double apiece as part of 11 hits for Chico State. The Wildcats, however, were 2 of 15 with runners in scoring position and left 14 runners on base for the game.
Stofiel was 2 of 2 and reached base in all four of his plate appearances as he singled, doubled, was hit by a pitch and walked while collecting an RBI and a run scored. Dustin Miller was 2 of 4 with a run scored while Louie Canjura tripled in the fifth inning and scored on Cameron Santos' groundout.
Chico State's Dustin Miller makes contact with a pitch
in Sunday's game at Nettleton Stadium. Miller provided
two of the Wildcats' 11 hits in the series finale.
That had the Wildcats within 5-2 before San Bernardino answered with a three-run home run from Shawn Porthan in the sixth inning.
Chico State got one back on Hussung's pinch-hit double after Stofiel wore a pitch and Casey Henderson walked with one out in the bottom of the sixth. But the bases were left full in the inning.
Hassey doubled in his first at-bat after starting in the leadoff spot in the lineup. The Wildcats, though, couldn't get him home from there as they already trailed 1-0. Cal State San Bernardino added three more runs in the second inning as the Chico State bullpen was called into action early on Sunday.
Relievers Dan Beavers and Andrew Schantz had scoreless appearances for the 'Cats. Beavers' stint was for 1.2 innings while Schantz retired the Coyotes in order in his one inning.
The Wildcats' game Thursday can be heard on AM-1290 KPAY, starting at 5:35 p.m. Links to audio and live stats can be found at the Wildcats Athletics website, both on the baseball schedule page and in the calendar section of the homepage.
