SAN MARCOS, Calif. — A rough first inning put the Chico State baseball team in a hole it couldn't climb out of Sunday, as the Wildcats dropped the finale of their four-game CCAA series at Cal State San Marcos 12–5 at Dennis A. Pugh Field.

Six runs by the Cougars in the bottom of the first inning set the tone, and despite a two-run homer from Troy Kent and a pair of late-inning rallies, the Wildcats couldn't erase the deficit. Chico State heads home for its final regular-season series with a 27–18 overall record and 20–16 mark in the CCAA, still battling to clinch a spot in the conference tournament.

The Wildcats started to chip away in the fourth, when Phoenix Casias delivered a two-out, two-run single to put Chico State on the board. An inning later, Kent connected for his team-leading ninth home run of the season, a towering two-run shot to right-center that trimmed the deficit to 7–4.

Chico State threatened again in the ninth. Patrick Barnum sparked the rally with a pinch-hit single, and Casias followed with a sharp base hit of his own. Thade Miller capped the effort with an RBI knock to bring the Wildcats within 12–5 before San Marcos closed out the win.

Casias and Miller each finished the day with two hits, while Kent, Casey Vogan, and Barnum all contributed to the nine-hit attack. On the mound, senior Marco Ibarra (5–2) suffered just his second loss of the season, and Chico State turned to six different pitchers across the final four innings.

Now, the Wildcats turn their attention to the final home series of the regular season—a critical four-game set against Stanislaus State beginning Thursday night at 6 p.m. at Nettleton Stadium. Chico State remains in the thick of the CCAA Championship race and will look to secure its postseason spot in front of the home crowd.