On the eve of postseason play, the Chico State baseball team found out that nine of their players received recognition as the All-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) baseball team was announced.
Outfielder Kyle Blakeman, relief pitcher Jae Wagner, and designated hitter Alex DeVito earned First Team All-CCAA honors while third baseman Cameron Santos, pitchers Casey Costello and Grant Larson along with RJ Hassey at the utility spot were Second Team selections. Catcher Tyler Stofiel and freshman outfielder Turner Olson achieved honorable mention.
Blakeman's hot finish to the second half of conference play helped the Wildcats win 14 of their final 20 CCAA games with the senior sparking the lineup from the leadoff spot for many of them. He raised his batting average 101 points from March 30 to the end of the regular season, finishing at .321 that included a pair of four-hit games and a 14-game hitting streak at one point. Blakeman led Chico State with 13 doubles.
Wagner, on the other hand, kept lowering his earned-run average (ERA) as the season progressed. He had the lowest ERA among any CCAA pitcher who had more than two innings. Wagner (2-1) allowed one earned run over 30 innings for an ERA of 0.30 to go with two saves. As a junior, Wagner also gave up one earned run in 20.1 innings.
Serving as the Wildcats' designated hitter, DeVito batted .343 and led the Wildcats with 61 hits, seven home runs, 43 runs batted in, 91 total bases, and a .514 slugging percentage. He had a four-hit game and had a five-hit game against Cal State Monterey Bay on March 10 in an 8-3 win.
Of course, when it comes to numbers, no one can touch Santos. In his senior season, he led the team with 37 runs scored and 17 stolen bases. The three-time captain of the Wildcats, the third baseman finished high on several career statistical categories in the program's rich history. He's first in walks (93) and triples (15), second in hits (215), stolen bases (67), at-bats (690), tied for second in total bases (294), and third in both runs scored (130) and sacrifice bunts (22). He's seventh in RBI with 117, and he can still add to his numbers during the 'Cats' postseason run that begins Wednesday.
Cameron Santos led the team in runs scored
this year with 37 and left his name all over the
program's record book in several categories.
Costello was the CCAA Pitcher of the Year in 2017, and he put together another standout season as a senior. He was 6-2 with a 3.39 ERA and came within one out of pitching a no-hitter against Cal Poly Pomona on April 28 before finishing with a one-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory. He has the program's best winning percentage for a pitcher with at least 18 decisions. He's 18-2 in his career for a .900 percentage. In 69 innings over 12 starts, Costello allowed 68 hits and 12 walks while striking out 59.
Larson posted a sophomore season that has him as one to watch for the CCAA's top accolades in 2019. The 6-foot-7 left-hander went 6-2 with a 2.38 ERA in 13 starts this season. He struck out 68 batters in 75.2 innings. He reached the eighth inning while pitching one-run ball against Cal Poly Pomona and struck out nine while allowing two runs in seven innings against UC San Diego in another win.
Hassey finished the season with a .497 on-base percentage, the best mark in the CCAA this season and the fourth-best clip for a single season in Wildcat history. He tied for first in the CCAA with 19 hit by pitches while walking 19 times and striking out on just six occasions. His .359 batting average led Chico State this season.
Stofiel batted an even .300 while starting 34 games and playing in 39. The sophomore catcher committed just one error in 237 chances and had a fielding percentage of .996.
One of seven true freshmen on the Wildcats, Olson forced his way into the lineup and ended up with the most starts in left field. Chico State was 19-9 in the 28 games he started as he delivered on multiple two-out situations and had a penchant for grinding out tough at-bats. He batted .320, which was fifth on the Wildcats, and he didn't make an error in the field.
The Most Valuable Player award went to UC San Diego's Zander Clarke while Joe Ryan of Stanislaus State was the Most Valuable Pitcher. Previously, the awards were called CCAA Player of the Year and CCAA Pitcher of the Year. Clarke also earned Newcomer of the Year while fellow Triton Shay Whitcomb was the Freshman of the Year. Cal State Monterey Bay's Walt White was named the Coach of the Year.
The two-time defending CCAA champion Wildcats finished in third place this year, guaranteeing more postseason play for the program. Chico State takes on No. 4 Cal Poly Pomona at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton, which is the home of the Stockton Ports, the Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. It's the third and final game of the tournament's first day.
Every Chico State baseball postseason game will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY. Starting Thursday, the CCAA Tournament will also be broadcast on Eleven Sports USA (DirectTV channel 623 locally) and streamed live at baosntv.com. Tickets are also available for purchase.
The CCAA Tournament Champion earns the conference's bid to the NCAA Championship Tournament. The remaining teams will have to wait until the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship Selection Show at 7 p.m. on Sunday on NCAA.com to learn if they receive one of the four at-large berths.
Chico State is making the 21st postseason appearance in the past 23 years after its 22nd 30-win season in that span. The Wildcats wrapped up the regular season with a 30-20 record and their 26-18 record in the CCAA had them third behind Cal State Monterey Bay and UC San Diego. The Wildcats and the fourth-seeded Broncos split a four-game series at Cal Poly Pomona on April 27-29.
The winner of Wednesday night's game will face the Cal State LA-UC San Diego winner at 7 p.m. on Thursday while the loser will take on the San Francisco State-Cal State Monterey Bay winner at 3 p.m. Thursday.
