CHICO – The Chico State baseball team got chomped by San Francisco State's offense as the Gators combined for 11 runs in the first innings of Monday's doubleheader to beat the 'Cats 13-9 in game one and 9-2 in the nightcap to take the four-game CCAA series.
 
The Wildcats fall to 8-5 overall and 3-5 in conference play while catching the Gators at the wrong time, for SF State has now won eight of its last 10 games to go 12-6 overall and 6-2 in the CCAA.
 
San Francisco State held a 28-22 edge in the hit column but outslugged Chico State .527 to .485.
 
Despite recording the 22 hits, the Wildcats could only collect 11 runs while leaving 18 runners on base. Lorenzo Mariani, Kaden Bass and Thade Miller each had three hits on the day while Troy Kent got at least one knock in each contest to run his hitting streak to 11 games.
 
The first game did see the Wildcats try to rally 13-4 in the eighth inning. Taking on the Gators' bullpen, the Wildcats loaded the bases when Ernie Arambula and Ryan Blanchard both drew walks and Mariani was hit by the pitch, setting up a grand slam hit by Kent. Jeremy Keller continued the inning with a pinch-hit single after the home run and pinch runner Casey Vogan made his way to third and scored on Miller's sacrifice fly, shrinking the Gators' lead to 13-9.
 
Chico State found itself in a 6-0 hole at the start of game two. The 'Cats did have something going in the second inning when Miller and Elijah Pascual hit back-to-back one-out singles and Mariani was hit by the pitch again to load the bases, but Gator starter Ian Sullivan got out of the threat with an inning-ending groundout.
 
Because Chico State had to shuffle the series with SF State to doubleheaders Sunday and Monday, the Wildcats will have little time to prepare for a road series at Stanislaus State beginning Friday at 6 p.m. The Warriors got two impressive wins over the defending NCAA West Region champions Cal State San Bernardino, but the two remaining games of the series was washed out.