SAN BERNARDINO—The Chico State baseball team begins its longest stretch between games during the 2022 campaign tomorrow—12 full days. And while the 16^th-ranked Wildcats will use that time to rest and recover from what has thus far been a 73-day, 40-game grind, they also have some additional motivation to make themselves better following one of their most lopsided losses of the season Saturday, an 8-2 defeat at the hands of host Cal State San Bernardino at Fiscalini Field.
 
The loss was only the second the Wildcats have suffered by six or more runs in what has been quite a successful season thus far. They come home with a record of 29-11, including 22-9 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association with eight games remaining in the regular season. Chico State trails CCAA leader Cal State Monterey Bay by 2.5 games, but hosts the Otters for a four-game series April 29–May 1, and thus still control their own destiny when it comes to the regular-season conference title. The Wildcats are three games ahead of third-place Cal Poly Pomona, which is in third place, and 3.5 games clear of Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State Dominguez Hills, tied for fourth.
 
The top six teams in the final regular season standings will advance to the CCAA Tournament, hosted by Chico State, May 11-14 at Nettleton Stadium. The top two teams receive first-round byes, while teams three through six must play an elimination game on the opening day of the tournament.
 
Even though they fell behind early, the Wildcats created a number of opportunities to rally their way back into the game. But they stranded 10 runners on base, including two in the first, fourth, sixth, and eighth. This marks the fifth time this season they've been held to two runs or fewer.
 
Wildcats starter Braeden Gowdy took the loss, his first of the season, falling to 6-1. Kevin Lyons and Eric Hill combined for six strong innings in relief, however.
 
Offensively, Willie Lajoie, Jacob Jablonski, and Kyle Dobson had two hits apiece for the Wildcats. Grady Morgan drew two walks, but when he lined out to third to end the game, his 20-game hitting streak also went by the wayside. It's the longest streak for the Wildcat since 2011 and third longest all time.