It is rare for a college baseball team to play a schedule non-conference game one day after a conference series. But for Chico State, it will say it was needed.
 
After frustratingly being forced to split the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series with Cal State East Bay Sunday, Chico State returned to Nettleton Stadium and use a non-conference game against Hawai`i Pacific on Monday to make the Pioneers series a short-lived memory. It seemed to have worked as the Wildcats slugged in five runs in the third inning, highlighted by a grand slam from Cameron Mahaffy, to beat the Sharks 6-1.
 
Chico State (15-10) also got to experience a new element other than rain at 'The Nett.' At the time of first pitch, the wind was blowing 18 MPH into left field. Mahaffy took advantage of that opportunity with his first collegiate grand slam. Jeffrey Ray started the rally reaching first on an error, Ernie Arambula and Logan Drummond would hit back-to-back singles that led Ray to score the game's first run. Jacob Jablonski, back in the lineup after missing the East Bay series, drew a walk and on the first pitch he saw, Mahaffy took it to left field with the help of the wind, giving Chico State a 5-0 lead.
 
Logan Meyers got the starting nod from head coach Dave Taylor. The right-hander threw four shutout innings allowing only four hits. Closer Josh Verdon threw three middle innings and struck out five. Eric Hill threw a shutout eighth inning and Kevin Lyons, despite a controversial call at first base eventually resulted in a run, closed the door on the Sharks.
 
Although the 'Cats recorded six hits, including two from Ray, the Sharks (10-20) recorded eight knocks.
 
The Wildcats have only two days to prepare for a critical four-game CCAA series against Cal State Monterey Bay in Seaside. The series begins on a rare Thursday at 3 p.m. Friday will be the 9/7-doubleheader at noon and then the series wraps up Saturday at 11 a.m. This is purposely scheduled in observance of Easter Sunday.