CHICO – For the second and third time in this four-game CCAA series, Chico State and Cal State Monterey Bay had seen their games be decided by one run.
Playing the traditional 9/7-inning doubleheader on Saturday, the Otters got the go-ahead run in the ninth inning and escaped game one with a 6-5 win. The Wildcats, however, returned the favor with a 4-3 win in game two thanks to a six-inning effort by Ethan Lay along with a four-run rally in the fifth inning.
While the Otters (27-16, 23-12 CCAA) clinched a spot to the CCAA Championship in three weeks, the Wildcats' (22-17, 16-14 CCAA) victory in game two kept them in fifth place with a two-win lead over both Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State LA, both which split their respective doubleheaders in Southern California today. All three teams have nine games to play in the regular season.
On the day, Lorenzo Mariani went 4-for-6 with three RBIs and a pair of good stolen bases while Elijah Pascual, Carson Stevens and Jeremy Keller each had three hits.
Chico State had to play catch-up in game one after Monterey Bay took a 4-0 lead through two-and-a-half innings. The Wildcats did get one run in their half of the third. Alexander Johnson reached on a fielder's choice, took second on a balk and scored on Daniel Vierra's RBI single to left center.
Kevin Lyons threw five innings in game one and gave up the five runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out two. He received a no-decision after the Wildcats' eighth-inning rally. Stevens led off with a home run and back-to-back singles from pinch-hitter Phoenix Casias and Jeremy Keller put the tying runs on base. Ernie Arambula moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt and Elijah Pascual knocked in Casias with a sacrifice fly and Mariani came up clutch with two outs by hitting a single up the middle to tie the game at five.
The Otters got their leadoff man on base for the third time in game one that became costly as a single and a sacrifice fly brought in the go-ahead run. Chico State had a ninth-inning rally going for the second straight game with Vierra leading off with a single. He was left stranded at second base as the Otters were able to get the three outs and win the second game of the series.
Despite giving up the three runs in the middle innings, Lay gave a valiant effort to keep the deficit close enough for the offense to rally. He ended the day with five strikeout and only conceded one walk.
The fifth-inning rally began with Kaden Bass, Michael Baker and pinch-hitter Stevens singling to load the bases. Mariani, once again, came through with the fourth consecutive single that drove in two runs. Casias drew a walk to reload the bases for Troy Kent, who hit a hard line drive down the first base line that was snagged by the first baseman for the unassisted putout but it allowed Stevens to score the tying run. Keller hit into what appeared to be a double-play attempt but he made it to first just in time and it allowed Mariani to score the go-ahead run.
Keller, who had a solid six-inning relief in the series finale at Colorado Mesa last weekend, came into the final inning of game two and pitched a 1-2-3 inning for his second save of the season.
The two sides will close out the four-game series Sunday at noon.
