As sure as the rain that pushed back the start of the series is the reign of the Chico State baseball team when the San Francisco State Gators travel to Nettleton Stadium.
 
The Wildcats swept a doubleheader by scores of 5-3 and then 3-2, making it 11 straight victories over the Gators in Chico.
 
The last time San Francisco State got a win with the Wildcats serving as hosts was 2012.
 
Starting pitcher Hilario Tovar made sure Sunday wouldn't be the day to end it as he went eight innings in the second game, striking out eight while walking none in a masterful start for his first win of the season.
 
In the opener, a two-out single from RJ Hassey sparked the tiebreaking, two-run rally in the eighth that made a winner out of reliever Jae Wagner (1-0) after he worked a scoreless inning. Dan Beavers then turned in a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.
 
Anthony Baleto did the same in the second game for his second save after Michael Lagier's pinch-hit single plated the go-ahead run in the sixth inning.
  
The teams play another doubleheader at noon on Monday at Nettleton Stadium.
 
The series was originally scheduled to begin Friday with a single game before a doubleheader on Saturday, but the rain that hit the north state made the teams wait two days to get started.
 
The wait was worth it for the Wildcats as they improved to 6-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and 10-4 overall. The victories leave the Wildcats in first place in the CCAA, a game ahead of Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino.
 
San Francisco State dropped to 3-7 in the CCAA and 3-12 overall.
 
The teams' current fortunes at Nettleton continue to mirror the other. Chico State has now won four straight games overall this season while the Gators have dropped four in a row.
 
Casey Costello continued his consistent effort as he pitched seven innings for the fourth straight start. His latest outing included three runs on eight hits and one walk with four strikeouts. With the no-decision, he still has not taken a loss in a Wildcat uniform while racking up 15 victories, 12 of them coming in 2017 when he was the CCAA and West Region Pitcher of the Year.
 
Luke Hussung launched a solo home run and scored two runs while Dustin Miller had two hits and a run scored. Miller, playing center field, also made a diving catch in right-center with two outs and two runners on base in the third inning, keeping the game scoreless.
 
The Wildcats then took a 2-0 lead in the home half of the third. Kyle Blakeman singled to score Hussung after he had walked and advanced on a Miller single. Cameron Santos would be walked intentionally after a wild pitch opened first base, but Alex DeVito took advantage and knocked in Miller with an RBI single.
 
Hussung took care of scoring himself in the fourth inning, smashing an offering from Gators starting pitcher Matthew Hernandez for a homer to left field and a 3-0 Wildcats advantage.
 
Staked to a lead, Costello cruised through the middle innings as he retired nine straight batters including retiring the Gators in order in the fourth and the fifth.
 
The score would remain 3-0 until two singles started the seventh, and David Mansell cashed them in with a three-run homer to left with one out, tying the game at 3 for San Francisco State.
 
The Wildcats answered an inning later. With two outs, Hassey singled through the left side. Then Casey Henderson and pinch-hitter Louie Canjura hit grounders to shortstop that couldn't be handled, as two runs scored.
 
Beavers took care of the ninth with some help from third baseman Cameron Santos. After a one-out single, Santos backhanded a ball hit by Mansell—who had homered earlier—at the bag. Santos fired to second base, starting a 6-4-3 double play that ended the contest.
 
In the second game, San Francisco State struck first on a two-run double from Jason Hare in the second inning.
 
The Wildcats got one back in their half of the inning. Trevor Steinman reached on a fielder's choice, stole second base and scored on an error.
 
Chico State tied the game in the fifth inning. Blakeman doubled. Santos would be walked again, and DeVito delivered again, this time singling through the left side for an RBI and a 2-2 tie.
 
The Wildcats took the lead in the sixth. Alex Pallios doubled and went to third on a Steinman sacrifice bunt. A pair of pinch-hitters produced productive plate appearances, as Hassey walked and Lagier singled, scoring Pallios.
 
That lead would be enough thanks to Tovar (1-2). He got the Gators in the seventh inning and retired them in order in the eighth as he ended up allowing two runs on seven hits and no walks to go with his eight strikeouts. He's now struck out 39 and walked one in 27.2 innings this season.
 
Baleto had two strikeouts as he wrapped up the ninth inning.
 
Blakeman was 2 of 3 with a double and a run scored.
 
Hare had five hits on the day including going 3 of 4 with two doubles and two RBIs in the second game for San Francisco State.
 
The series concludes with another doubleheader that begins at noon on Monday. The first game will be nine innings while the second game will be seven innings. Both games can be heard through the KPAY Sports app and kpaysports.com. Live Stats, along with the audio and video simulcast are available through the home page of the Wildcats Athletics website and on the baseball team's schedule page.