The last road series could easily end up as the most important one for the Chico State baseball team.
Chico State and Cal Poly Pomona are getting together for a four-game set, and both are looking to create some separation from the other. The Wildcats are third in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and seventh in the West Region rankings. The Broncos are right behind in both, sitting fourth in the CCAA and eighth in the West.
The Wildcats are 23-15 in the CCAA and 27-17 overall. Cal Poly Pomona is 20-16 in the CCAA and 23-19 overall.
Both teams are chasing after Cal State Monterey Bay (25-11 in the CCAA) and UC San Diego (24-12), but they have to fend off a pack of contenders with Sonoma State (19-17), Cal State LA (19-17), San Francisco State (19-17), Cal State East Bay (17-19), and Stanislaus State (17-21) all close behind with two series and two weeks remaining in the regular season.
The Pomona series starts with a 1 p.m. game on Friday. Saturday's doubleheader is at noon with the finale at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The Saturday and Sunday games can be heard on AM-1290 KPAY with Friday's contest on the KPAY Sports app and kpaysports.com. Links to audio, video, and live stats can be found on the baseball schedule page and the calendar section of the homepage for Wildcats Athletics.
Runs could be scarce in the series, as the teams rank 1-2 in the CCAA in earned run average (ERA). Chico State leads with a 3.46 ERA with Pomona second at 3.70.
The pitching staffs lead the CCAA in other categories as well. They are tied for first in total earned runs allowed with 145. The Broncos have issued the fewest walks with 115 to the Wildcats' second-place total of 122. They're also tied for third in strikeouts at 334.
Wildcats reliver Jae Wagner leads the CCAA in ERA among pitchers with more than one appearance at 0.33. He has allowed one earned run in 27.2 innings in 19 games while going 2-1 with two saves.
Wagner, Dan Beavers, Anthony Baleto, Andrew Lopez, and Andrew Schantz have formed a staunch bullpen for Head Coach Dave Taylor's team. During the Wildcats' resurgence in April, pitchers Grant Larson (three starts), Hilario Tovar (four), Casey Costello (two), Christian Stiegele (three), and Schantz (two) have compiled a 2.65 ERA as a rotation.
That has helped a tough March turn into a blossoming April. The Wildcats have won each of their three series in the month, taking three of four games against UC San Diego, Cal State San Marcos, and Cal State Dominguez Hills in succession as part of a stretch where they've won 11 of 14 games overall.
Coinciding with the uptick is the 14-game hitting streak of Kyle Blakeman. Inserted into the leadoff spot during the run, Blakeman has taken off. He's 26 of 52 for a .500 batting average during the 14-game streak, and he's scored at least one run in seven straight contests.
He's not the only Wildcat producing big numbers.
RJ Hassey continues to lead the CCAA in hit by pitches with 19. He's walked 19 times (and struck out just five times). Hassey is second in the conference with a .497 on-base percentage, which would tie him for fourth in program history with Miguel Mendoza's 2002 season.
RJ Hasey has been hit by a
pitch 19 times and walked 19
times, helping produce a .497
on-base percentage.
Cameron Santos ranks second in the CCAA in stolen bases with 17 in 20 attempts. With 67 steals in his Wildcat career, Santos is three away from tying Barry Miller (1984-87) for first in program history with 70. His next walk will break a tie for first with Mike Barney (1986-88) at 91. The three-year team captain keeps moving up several all-time lists as he's second in hits, first in triples, tied for eighth in doubles, third in runs scored, seventh in runs batted in, third in total bases, and second in at-bats.
The Broncos seem to have emerged from their own rough stretch as they had dropped eight of 11 before taking the final three games against Stanislaus State in Turlock last week.
The Wildcats and Broncos are jockeying to move up in the West Region rankings down the stretch. Like the CCAA tournament, only six teams make the regional.
The top six in the West Region rankings are: Cal State Monterey Bay (31-11 overall), Azusa Pacific (34-6), UC San Diego (28-13), Point Loma (27-14), California Baptist (28-14), and Montana State-Billings (24-8) with the Wildcats and Broncos next.
After the four games at Pomona, Chico State closes the regular season with a May 4 doubleheader against Stanislaus State at Nettleton Stadium. The first game starts at 2 p.m. in a pair of make-up contests from Feb. 18.
