Programming Note for Saturday's doubleheader: Game one will be on aired on KPAY Sports 1290 AM and FM 102.9. Game two will be aired on News Talk 93.9. Both games can be seen on the CCAA Network.
 
CHICO – The Chico State baseball team welcomed back former longtime assistant coach Jose Garcia to Nettleton Stadium Friday, but the now-second-year head coach of first-place Cal State San Marcos was all business the moment the first pitch was thrown as the Cougars did all most of the damage in the first four innings to take a 17-5 win over the Wildcats to open the CCAA series.
 
The Cougars (12-6, 11-2 CCAA) jumped ahead 2-0 in the first inning. The Wildcats (11-7, 6-7 CCAA) got one of those runs back in the opening inning when Alexander Johnson hit a one-out single and scored on Troy Kent's double to right center. But the Cougars plated three more runs in the second, four in the third and two in the fourth to take an 11-2 lead.
 
Though both teams tallied up the hits column, 15 for the Cougars, 12 for the Wildcats, they each left a lot of runners on base. The Wildcats stranded 11 runners while the Cougars left 10.
 
Johnson had a two-hit evening, including a two-run home run in the ninth inning. Jesse Gadd had been on base three times, recording a single in the sixth while drawing a pair of walks.
 
The series continues Saturday with the 9/7-inning doubleheader. Game one's first pitch is at noon.