CHICO, Calif. - The Chico State baseball team delivered one of its most complete performances of the season Friday night, knocking off first-place and defending CCAA champion Cal State Monterey Bay 6–1 in front of a raucous Wildcat FANATics crowd of 1,264 at Nettleton Stadium.
With the win, Chico State improves to 22-21 overall and 11-14 in the CCAA. Cal State Monterey Bay falls to 32-11 overall and 17-8 in conference play.
In the CCAA Tournament race, the Wildcats remain in seventh place at 11-14 (.440), but continue to close the gap. Chico State now sits just one game behind fifth-place Cal State San Bernardino (12-13, .480), which currently holds the final postseason spot. The Wildcats also gained ground on sixth-place Cal State East Bay (12-14, .462). All three teams have seven games remaining, with San Bernardino having one fewer contest due to a canceled game that will not be made up.
After a scoreless first three innings, Monterey Bay struck first in the third, using a two-out RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. That would be the only damage against Rocco Borrelli, who quickly settled in and took control of the game from there.
The Wildcats responded emphatically in the fourth inning. Jackson Snitko led off with a double, and Michael Baker followed with a single to put runners at the corners. After a sacrifice fly from Kobe Rolling tied the game, Keoni Coloma delivered the defining swing of the night—launching a three-run home run to right field to cap a four-run inning and give Chico State a 4-1 lead.
That cushion was more than enough for Borrelli, who turned in a dominant outing against one of the top offenses in the conference. The senior right-hander worked seven strong innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out four and walking one. He efficiently navigated traffic and consistently kept Monterey Bay off balance, recording key outs and limiting hard contact throughout his outing.
Chico State added to its lead in the sixth, manufacturing a run on a sacrifice fly by Stefan Foley after a leadoff single and a bunt moved the tying run into scoring position. The Wildcats tacked on another insurance run in the seventh, again using small ball as Brady Wright drove in a run with a sacrifice bunt to extend the lead to 6-1.
Out of the bullpen, Aaron McCurley slammed the door, tossing two shutout innings while allowing no hits and striking out two to secure the win.
Offensively, the Wildcats produced 10 hits and consistently pressured the Otters with situational execution. Myles Walton led the way with a 3-for-5 performance, while Snitko scored twice and Baker added two hits to extend his hitting streak.
Defensively, Chico State backed its pitching with steady play, limiting mistakes and making routine plays behind its staff. Aside from one unearned run, the Wildcats controlled the game in all phases, showcasing the type of complete effort needed down the stretch.
Wildcat Tidbits
– With the win, Chico State still leads the all-time series with Cal State Monterey Bay, 48-35, dating back to 2006. The Wildcats have won three of the last four meetings.
– Rocco Borrelli recorded his fourth quality start of the season and has now thrown seven innings in three of his last four outings.
– Michael Baker extended his hitting streak to nine games with a 2-for-5 performance.
– Jaden Neugebauer saw his nine-game hitting streak come to an end, while Stefan Foley's eight-game hitting streak was also snapped.
– Head Coach Dave Taylor improved to 611-361-0 at Chico State and 726-455-1 in his NCAA career.
– Keoni Coloma's home run marked his first as a Wildcat and gave Chico State home runs in back-to-back games for the first time since the start of last year's CCAA Tournament.
Up Next
Chico State and Cal State Monterey Bay return to Nettleton Stadium for a 9/7-inning doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.
