LOS ANGELES—The seats will feel softer. The ride will be smoother. The banter will be funnier. The long bus ride home from Los Angeles got a lot better for the Chico State baseball team thanks to a 6-5 win in Saturday's series finale at Cal State LA.
Chico State's win, keyed by Kyle Blakeman's tiebreaking grand slam, Cameron Santos' three-hit day, Hilario Tovar's solid start, and Jae Wagner's save, gave the Wildcats their first road winning streak since February and kept them in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title chase.
The Wildcats improved to 18-14 overall and 14-12 in the CCAA. Cal State LA slipped to 18-11 overall and 15-9 in conference play. Chico State, which has won consecutive conference titles, moved into a tie for fifth place in the tightly bunched CCAA standings. They are four games behind first-place Cal State Monterey Bay (17-7) heading into next weekend's four-game series with UC San Diego, which is tied for second at 15-9.
The Wildcats trailed 2-1 before a five-run sixth gave them the lead for good. Louie Canjura and Santos hit back-to-back singles before Alex DeVito walked to load the bases. Dustin Miller ripped a single to left to tie the game. Blakeman, who gave the Wildcats the lead for good in Friday's second game with a pinch-hit RBI double, came through in the clutch once again, clearing the bases with a shot over the wall in right center and giving Chico State a 6-2 lead.
Cameron Santos went 3-for-4, scored twice, and stole his 13th base.
The Wildcats opened the scoring in the first when Santos hit a two-out single and scored on DeVito's opposite-field double.
Tovar pitched into the eighth to earn the win, allowing three earned runs on six hits and three walks in seven-and-a-third innings.
An error leading off the eighth, followed by a hit batter and walk ended his day. Anthony Baleto got a strikeout for the second out of the inning, but a two-run double followed, cutting the lead to 6-5.
Wagner, who collected the win on Friday, came on to attempt a four-out save with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. After walking the first batter he faced, Wagner got a fly ball to end the threat. He pitched around a two-out single in the ninth to nail down his first save of the season and the sixth of his Chico State career.
Santos' three-hit day gave him 194 for his career and moved him within two of Kevin Miller (1987-90) for second on Chico State's all-time hit list. Blakeman, RJ Hassey, and Turner Olson had two hits apiece.
Next weekend's series begins with a single game Friday at 6 p.m. under the lights at Nettleton Stadium. All four games will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY.
