Jacob Jablonksi homered from both sides of the plate—becoming perhaps the first player in Chico State history to do so—leading Chico State's 17-hit, four-homer attack in a 15-8 win to open a crucial four-game series against Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday night in front of 420 fans at Nettleton Stadium. A search of the record books did not uncover any mention of another Wildcat accomplishing the feat.
 
On "A Night of Champions," which began with a celebration of Chico State's 2021-22 NCAA Regional Champion men's cross country and men's basketball teams, the baseball team continued its California Collegiate Athletic Association championship chase. Now 26-7 overall and 19-5 in CCAA play, the first-place Wildcats maintained their half-game lead over Cal State Monterey Bay with the win.
 
The 10^th-ranked Wildcats improved to 17-2 at Nettleton Stadium behind another offensive barrage and capped by four-and-two-thirds innings of shutout relief by Josh Verdon and Kevin Lyons. Jablonski hit a solo homer in the third from the left side of the plate and then ripped a three-run homer from the right side in the fifth. Elijah Jackson hacked a grand slam to left-center in between. And Andrew Crane connected on a solo shot to the same spot in the eighth.
 
Grady Morgan muscled four more hits Friday to stretch his hitting streak to 14 games. He's now an almost impossible 15 for his last 19 dating back to his final at-bat last Friday at Cal State LA. The reigning CCAA and West Region Player of the Week has three or more hits in four straight games and is now hitting a CCAA-best .429 overall and .438 in conference play.
 
Meanwhile, Jackson's fourth-inning slam stretched his hitting streak to nine games, and Willie Lajoie has reached reached base in 17 straight, Jeffrey Ray and Jablonski in 13 in a row, Jackson 12 straight, and Zach Morris 11 in a row. Morris and Lajoie had three hits apiece Friday, while Jack Murphy and Jablonski had two apiece.
 
Verdon came on in relief in the fifth and fired two-and-two-thirds scoreless frames to improve to 3-0 on the season. He scattered four hits, struck out three, and did not walk a batter. Lyons closed the door with a scoreless eighth and 1-2-3 ninth.
 
The series continues Saturday with a noon doubleheader and concludes with a single game Sunday at 11 a.m.