The stars indeed aligned for JT Navarro during the Chico State baseball team's 2020 home opener. The senior shortstop's grand slam was the big blow during the Wildcats' 14-7 win against Fresno Pacific Friday at Nettleton Stadium. As far as Navarro is concerned, John Altobelli (his former Orange Coast Community College coach who died tragically in a January 26 helicopter accident, along with his wife, daughter, and six others) was beaming along with those stars.
Navarro, who switched his number to 14 in honor of Altobelli just before the season began, ripped a first-pitch curveball over the left-field wall for a grand slam to cap a seven-run third inning for the Wildcats, who scored twice in the first inning and never trailed.
The home run was Navarro's first as a Wildcat and his second as a collegiate. The first came during his 2016 freshman season under Altobelli at Orange Coast College.
"When I got back into the dugout it hit me. It's cool that I could do that wearing that number. This year, obviously, I'm playing in his honor. I'm just kind of playing every day like he would want me to. I know he's looking out for all his players and so I'm just really appreciative of being able to wear that number and do that today," Navarro said. "He would absolutely be telling me not to let it go to your head. He would say that all the stars aligned right there for sure."
Navarro was one of nine different Wildcats to get at least one hit Friday. But none was bigger than his.
Josh Verdon (1-0) collected the win with two-and-two-thirds innings of scoreless relief as Chico State improved to 2-2 on the season.
Fresno Pacific, which won two of three at home against Sonoma State last weekend, is also 2-2. The series concludes with an 11 a.m. doubleheader Saturday.
The Wildcats scored two in the first and another in the second before Fresno Pacific closed the gap to 3-2 in the top of the third. The Wildcats answered with their decisive seven-run rally in the bottom half of the frame. Eddie Zavala lined a two-run double to center to start the scoring before Adam Muñoz knocked him in with a base hit through the right side.
Tyler Grissom reached on an error and Tyler Stofiel singled to load them up for Navarro, who hit .335 last season with 12 doubles and a triple, but is not usually considered a threat to leave the yard. In fact, the left fielder was playing quite shallow when that first-pitch breaking ball rolled over the heart of the plate.
"I had seen probably 90 percent curveballs in my first two at-bats, so I figured I would be getting one eventually," Navarro said. "It just so happened it came on the first pitch, he hung it, and I put a good swing on it."
AM 1290 KPAY Sports Radio's Mike Baca captured the moment beautifully. "It's over his head!" he told the listeners. He then paused before exclaiming: "It's over the wall!"
A ray of sunlight shines off the helmet of Adam Muñoz as he reaches the dugout steps
after scoring on JT Navarro's grand slam.
Photo by Ryan McCasland.
Navarro sped around the bases and was greeted by his entire team just outside the steps of the dugout as the sun shimmered brightly from above the right-field wall, sending a beam of sunlight shining through what has been an agonizing few weeks for many in the Wildcat athletics family, including Navarro and fellow Orange Coast College baseball alums Skylar Limonchi and Vince Inman.
A crowd of 200-plus showed up at Nettleton Stadium to greet this season's Wildcats for the first time on a day brimming with that sunshine.
Those home fans were pleased with what they saw right off the bat.
Jorge Perez and Willie Lajoie laced consecutive one-out singles in the first and both came around to score: Perez on a passed ball and Lajoie on a double-steal with Cody Wissler, who drew a throw down to second and got caught in a rundown, allowing Lajoie to scamper home.
The 'Cats tacked on a run in the second when Muñoz was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on Grissom's sacrifice bunt, and scored on Stofiel's bloop double down the right-field line.
Chico State still wasn't done scoring after the seven-run third inning. They scored four more times in the fifth. Navarro's one-out walk got them going. Pinch hitter Nate Maggi plated one run with a fielders' choice grounder ahead of Turner Olson, who ripped a two-run single up the middle in his season debut. Muñoz's base hit to right field brought in the Wildcats' final run of the day.
"Getting that first one at home in front of that home crowd we love playing for was important," Navarro said. "I know the returners feel like we disappointed them last season (winning only 13 of 25 at home). They're so loyal and supportive so we'd really love to play well here this season for them."
Eddie Zavala (#27) and teammates react to JT Navarro's grand slam during the Wildcats' 14-7 win against Fresno Pacific in the team's 2020 home opener on February 7.
Photo by Ryan McCasland.
Chico State shortstop JT Navarro, wearing No. 14 this season in honor of his former Orange Coast College head coach John Altobelli, follows through on a grand slam home run during the Chico State baseball team's 2020 home opener on Friday, February 7.
Photo by Ryan McCasland.
