CARSON, Calif. – The No. 18 Chico State baseball team responded well from Friday's series-opening loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills by slugging its way a 9-4 win in game one of Saturday's doubleheader. However, the Toros too responded in the nightcap by edging the Wildcats 3-2 to split the twinbill and take command of the four-game CCAA series.
The Wildcats move to 22-14 overall and 15-12 (.556) in the CCAA, dropping to fifth place in the conference standings. The Toros are now 25-15 overall and 21-10 (.677), taking sole possession of first place after Cal State LA dropped its doubleheader to Cal State Monterey Bay just down the road from Toro Field. The Wildcats are now two games behind Monterey Bay, LA and San Francisco State which each share second place at 17-10 (.630)
Game 1 – CHICO 9, CSUDH 4
Both teams got the game started with a run in the first. For Chico State, Phoenix Casias doubled and Troy Kent followed him with an RBI single. Dominguez Hills responded with a leadoff home run by Trey Winget.
The Toros plated two runs in the second to take a 3-1 lead. The Wildcats went down quietly in the third inning, but they responded in the fourth in a big way. Michael Baker led off the inning with a home run, Casey Vogan, Ernie Arambula drew a walk and Daniel Vierra hit a single to load the bases. The Wildcats would take the lead playing small ball. Carson Case hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game and Thade Miller singled to bring in Vierra and give Chico State a 4-3 lead.
With the game tied at four since the fifth inning, the Wildcats came through again in the seventh inning. Casias and Kent were both hit by the pitch to start the inning off, both advanced a base and scored when Baker's fly ball to left was misplayed and it allowed both runs across. Vierra would double in Baker to give Chico State a 7-4 lead.
After Miller singled in the eighth, Kent delivered a two-out home run to put the Wildcats ahead 9-4.
Chico State managed to outhit Dominguez Hills 10-7.
Rocco Borrelli went 4.1 innings to start the game, striking out five but conceded six hits and three walks. Drake Richardson delivered another brilliant outing out of the bullpen, throwing shutout innings with two strikeouts, a hit and two walks. Aaron McCurley finished the remaining two innings with two strikeouts and a walk.
Game 2 – CSUDH 3, CHICO 2
It was the third inning that decided the evening contest. Starting with the Wildcats half, Juan Nunez led off with a triple down the left field line and Miller followed up with a double to put the Wildcats ahead. A passed ball moved him to third and Troy Kent on the first pitch he saw took it to center field deep enough for a sacrifice fly, giving Chico State a 2-0 lead.
The lead was short lived as the Toros got three straight hits, with a two-run triple at the tail end of it to tie the game. A sacrifice fly resulted the eventual winning run.
Jeremy Keller came into relief starter Tyce Ochs and limited Dominguez Hills to two doubles.
Both teams racked up six hits in the nightcap with Miller and Jesse Gadd each recording two of them.
Chico State will look to salvage a split in the four-game series Sunday at noon.
