FRESNO—Chico State baseball coach Dave Taylor believes pitching and defense will once again be the program's calling card in 2019. The 21^st-ranked Wildcats' season-opening sweep at Fresno Pacific Friday did nothing to dissuade him.
 
Chico State rode six shutout innings from starter Grant Larson to a 2-1 win in the opener and got seven-plus innings of one-hit pitching out of the bullpen in a come-from-behind 3-2 victory in 12 innings in the nightcap. Tyler Stofiel doubled leading off the 12^th and scored the winning run on JT Navarro's base hit. Daniel Foret retired the Sunbirds in order in the bottom-half of the inning to secure the sweep.
 
The Wildcats did commit four errors on the day, including three in the second game. But three of those four errors were charged to pitchers on errant throws. Taylor did not say pitching defense would lead the way. He said pitching and defense.
 
The Wildcats' pitchers rarely misfired on their throws to the plate while striking out 22 Friday.

 
Larson allowed just three singles while striking out six. Alex Kent struck out a pair in two scoreless innings of relief. And Sid Lacy came on with two down and two on in the ninth to get the final out and collect his first save as a Wildcat.
 
In the second game, Chico State starter Andrew Lopez allowed two unearned runs on two of his own errors, but struck out six in four-and-two-thirds innings of work. Kenton Carruthers, William Curless, and Foret combined to close the game with seven-and-a-third innings of scoreless baseball. Foret earned the win, striking out four and allowing just one hit in three innings of work. Carruthers took over for Lopez, escaping a first-and-third jam and retiring all four hitters he faced. Curless bridged the gap to Foret with three scoreless innings while striking out a pair.
 
The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the opener and held on to win.
 
Navarro singled leading off the game and Alex DeVito singled with one out. Navarro scored on an error when Jorge Perez hit a ball up the middle that the second baseman knocked down and was ruled an error. DeVito scored later in the frame on an errant pickoff attempt at first.
 
DeVito finished the game with two hits, including a double. Navarro reached base three times with a hit, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch.
 
Chico State trailed 2-0 heading into the eighth inning of the nightcap before rallying to tie it and force extra frames. Dustin Miller singled to start the rally, Turner Olson followed with a single, and pinch hitter Michael Lagier bunted for a hit to load the bases.
 
Navarro's sacrifice fly plated the first run. And with two down and two on, DeVito ripped a double down the left field line. Olson scored the tying run easily on the play, but Aaron Lizarraga, attempting to score from first, was thrown out at the plate on a bang-bang play.

 
Foret and Chico State's defense, which had already enjoyed a strong day highlighted by the play of Navarro at short and Brandon Hernandez in center field, kept the score tied until the Wildcats offense could break through.
 
With nobody down in the eighth, Lagier made a nice play to take away a hit. In the ninth, Stofiel backed up Lagier's errant throw to first and nailed the runner at second, keeping the potential winning run off second base with one out. In the 10^th, Stofiel accomplished the same thing by throwing out a would-be base stealer at second with one down.
 
Lazarraga, DeVito, and Miller finished with two hits apiece in the game.
 
The series is scheduled to wrap up with a single game Saturday at 11 a.m. at Fresno Pacific University Diamond. Mike Baca will have the play-by-play on AM-1290 KPAY and FM 102.9. The game will also be broadcast online. Links to streaming audio and live stats are available on the homepage and baseball schedule page.
 
However, the forecast for the rest of the weekend is not looking promising for baseball. Stay tuned to www.chicowildcats.com Saturday morning for possible updates.