Six hundred and ninety seven days had passed between baseball games at Nettleton Stadium. Still, the University Public Events employee remembered to put the flag on the pole, an Associated Students worker fired up the grill, and a student assistant powered up the scoreboard. After the Anthem, in the bright sunshine, Chico State starter Rylan Tinsley filled the strike zone in the top of the first as a train rumbled by. In the bottom-half of the inning, following the first "Seinfeld" riff of the season (every 3-2 count when the Wildcats are batting), leadoff hitter Jack Murphy took a pitch off his forearm. It felt too good to be true, but baseball was officially back at Nettleton Stadium. And not just any baseball. This was Chico State baseball, baby!
 
That was only the start of a splendid day for the 25^th-ranked Wildcats, who beat Saint Martin's 13-0 in front of 300 fans who convened at Chico's baseball oasis after so many days without their home team. Tinsley (1-0) turned in five strong innings in his Chico State debut and four relievers—Tyler Chivens, Josh Verdon, Cayden Castellanos and Gerrit Erickson —followed that effort up with a scoreless frame apiece. Chico State's offense grinded the Saint Martin's staff, banging out a dozen hits, drawing nine walks, and getting hit by five pitches. Fourteen different Wildcats scored or drove in a run. And the Chico State defense played error-free ball.
 
On March 8, 2020, Chico State beat Cal State San Bernardino 9-0 in a game that Verdon started and Chivens finished. Willie Lajoie and Andrew Renteria were also in the starting lineup, and Grady Morgan was a late-game replacement. The Wildcats were off to a promising 15-7 start (11-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association) and ranked No. 27 in the nation. But the bus taking them to Cal State LA the following week turned around just below the Grapevine. The series was canceled due to COVID-19. Then the season was canceled. Verdon, Chivens, Lajoie, Renteria, Morgan, and starting pitchers Braeden Gowdy and Austin McFarlane are the only seven players remaining from that team. Others joined ahead in 2020-21, only to see that season canceled as well.  
 
So, Friday was a long time coming for the Wildcats and their fans. Lojoie gave them plenty to cheer about right from the start roping a double down the right field line to open the scoring in the first. The Wildcats won the second inning as well, with an unearned run to make it 2-0. Jarret Linsday's two-run single in the fourth doubled the lead, and then Jacob Jablonski was hit by a pitch with the bases full to make it 5-0. Lajoie's two-run double was the biggest hit in an eight-run seventh during which 13 different Wildcats came to bat. Elijah Jackson, Kyle Dobson, Jordan Mello, and Zach Morris also drove in a run apiece during he frame.
 
Jackson finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored, a double, and an RBI in an impressive debut. Lajoie, Morgan, Lindsay, and Andrew Crane also had two hits apiece.
 
The series continues with a doubleheader Saturday noon and concludes with a single game Sunday at 11 a.m. Saturday's first game and Sunday's series finale will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY. All three games will be streamed on the CCAA Network. All links are available at www.chicowildcats.com.