SEASIDE—The Chico State baseball team was supposed to play a doubleheader on Friday with games of nine and seven innings. The Wildcats nearly squeezed that many into the first game but all those extra innings didn't add up to a win.
Chico State played the longest game in program history, falling 12-11 to Cal State Monterey Bay in 15 innings in a game that took 4 hours, 58 minutes to complete.
A throwing error led to a walk-off, two-run double from Hayden Duer of what ended up being the only game played on Friday of a rescheduled twin bill.
Because of the contest's length and the Otter Sports Complex doesn't have lights, the teams didn't start the second game because it wouldn't be anywhere near finished by the time darkness fell. Instead, they'll try to play a doubleheader at 11 a.m. Saturday if weather permits.
The series' schedule had already been altered because of expected rain this weekend, leading to Friday's proposed doubleheader from the original Saturday twin bill.
But while precipitation could be planned for, a 15-inning game couldn't be—not when the Wildcats' record for a game had been 14 innings.
The setback snapped the Wildcats' winning streak at six games as they're now 8-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and 12-5 overall. Cal State Monterey Bay moved to 6-3 in the CCAA and 12-3 overall The two teams are the only ones in the CCAA with fewer than four conference losses.
Saturday's action will be broadcast on AM-1290 KPAY and streamed online with links to live stats also available on the Wildcats Athletics website.
Chico State scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning for a 9-8 lead, but T.J. Dove's solo home run tied it for the Otters, and the teams remained deadlocked until the 15th inning.
That's when the Wildcats struck for two runs on true freshman Turner Olson's RBI single and a bunt from Dustin Miller on a suicide squeeze.
The Otters got a pair of one-out singles from Dove—who hit for the cycle as part of a five-hit, five-RBI day—and Max Sanderson. But a grounder to shortstop was thrown away to right field, allowing Dove to score and Sanderson to reach third as the tying run while the potential winning run in Myles Hager went to second on his groundball. It was the lone Wildcat error of the lengthy game.
An intentional walk then loaded the bases for a force out. Reliever Andrew Schantz (2-2) struck out one batter for the second out before Duer delivered the game-winner to left-center, spoiling what had marked a comeback for the 'Cats between the two leading teams in the conference.
Chico State trailed 8-4 after a six-run fourth inning for Monterey Bay. But the Wildcats got one back on Casey Henderson's single in the fifth and two more in the seventh on an Alex DeVito double and another RBI single from Henderson.
Cameron Santos, RJ Hassey, and Henderson all had three hits and two runs scored. DeVito had two hits and scored twice.
The score remained 8-7 entering the ninth inning. The Wildcats' rally began with Santos recovering from an 0-2 count to work a walk. DeVito singled up the middle. A Hassey sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third. Santos then scored on a wild pitch as pinch-runner Michael Lagier advanced to third before scoring on a throwing error from a ball hit by Henderson.
The Wildcats loaded the bases, but the margin remained 9-8 going to the home half of the inning before Dove tied it with his homer. Chico State left 18 runners on base with 11 coming in the ninth inning or later. The Otters left 11 on base in the game and had three errors. Both teams had 17 hits.
The Chico State bullpen had its moments with 11.1 innings pitched while allowing two earned runs, neither coming in the fateful 15th. Christian Stiegele kept the 'Cats close by tossing 4.2 innings of one-run ball in relief of starter Casey Costello. Baleto went two innings while Jae Wagner threw three scoreless innings before giving way to Schantz who accounted for 1.2 innings.
In Chico State's half of the 15th, Louie Canjura singled to get Henderson to third after he had reached on a fielder's choice. Olson singled for a 10-9 lead before Nick Tingirides singled to load the bases. Miller then bunted in Canjura for a second run.
In the fourth inning, the Wildcats took a 4-2 lead on a Tyler Stofiel RBI groundout and an RBI single to shortstop for Ryan Busby, his first base hit as a Wildcat. The true freshman got the start in left field for Chico State.
The Wildcats have played multiple games of 14 innings but never 15. The last time they reached 14 innings was a 3-2 loss at Fresno Pacific on Feb. 14, 2015.
