Two big innings led to two more wins and the Chico State baseball team set a school record for consecutive games with 10-plus runs in a doubleheader sweep of Cal State San Marcos Saturday at Nettleton Stadium. The Wildcats broke the opener open with a five-run seventh inning and went on to win 11-3. They scored sixth in the fourth inning of game two and won 10-6.
 
Chico State has now won seven straight, scoring 10 or more runs each time out to break the 1997 team's record for consecutive double-digit run totals. The 19^th-ranked Wildcats improved to 22-5 on the season 15-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, and 16-1 at home. Cal State San Marcos fell to 9-16 overall and 5-10 in the CCAA.
 
The series concludes with a single game Sunday at 10 a.m.
 
Jeffrey Ray had a big day at the plate for the Wildcats, reaching base all 10 times he came to the plate (extending his streak to 13). He went 3-for-3 with a single, double, and grand slam, walked five times, and was twice hit by a pitch. Ray's grand slam in the seventh inning of the opener doubled Chico State's lead to 9-1.
 
The Wildcats got ahead with small ball, laying down four sacrifice bunts and scoring single runs in the first, third, fourth and fifth to build a 4-1 edge. Meanwhile, Cody Gentry was in route to seven strong innings. The Wildcats starter improved to 5-1 on the season, scattering seven hits and allowing just one run.
 
The lead was 5-1 when Ray hit a rocket down the left field line that cleared the wall by plenty despite a strong breeze blowing against it. It was Ray's second home run of the season.
 
The Wildcats grabbed an early lead in the nightcap and held on. Jack Murphy singled home two runs in the second and Elijah Jackson smoked an RBI-double in the third. The Wildcats led 4-1 heading to the bottom of the fourth. Jarret Lindsay and Ray walked to open the frame ahead of Murphy, who moved them over with a sacrifice bunt. Three straight singles followed: Lajoie's drove in two and Jacob Jablonski's plated another. Jackson tacked on two more runs with a two-out single through the left side. When the dust settled, the Wildcats led 10-1.
 
Starter Austin McFarlane earned the win for Chico State, improving to 2-0.

A grand slam by #13 Jeffrey Ray. Chico: 9 cougars: 1 at the bottom of the 7th pic.twitter.com/tx19apwetU

— Chico Wildcats (@ChicoWildcats) March 26, 2022