The Chico State Wildcats’ baseball team continues to struggle in conference play, dropping three of four games to the Cal State San Marcos Cougars in their third series.
The Cougars took games one, two and four with scores of 5-4, 4-3 and 2-0. The ’Cats’ took game three with a score of 9-2, avoiding the series sweep.
Game 1: March 20, 6 p.m.
Looking to start the series off strong, the ’Cats turned to their polarizing freshman ace, right-handed Jack Tews, who has a 2.72 ERA.
The Cougars struck in the second inning as redshirt senior infielder Stephen Espinoza singled up the middle. Freshman infielder Christoper Tampoya doubled to left center to score Espinoza and give the Cougars the early lead 1-0.
They struck again in the third inning, adding two more runs off of Tews. Graduate student Leighton Helfrick reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Junior outfielder Michael Ryan walked on four pitches and advanced to second on a wild pitch as Helfrick advanced to third on the same pitch. Redshirt senior Zech Samayoa was intentionally walked and advanced to second on a balk, which brought in Helfrick and advanced Ryan to third. The Cougars brought in another run as Espinoza singled up the middle to score Ryan, but Samayoa was thrown out at third as the Cougars wrapped the third up 3-0.
The ’Cats got a run back in the fourth inning as junior infielder Jackson Snitko singled up the middle. Senior first baseman Jesse Gadd reached on a fielder’s choice to second. Junior catcher Cole Nachreiner singled to right field as Gadd reached third. Gadd would give the ’Cats their first run on a wild pitch. The ’Cats closed the fourth inning trailing 3-1.
Neither team would score again until the eighth inning, when the Cougars put two men on base after Samoya was hit by a pitch and Espinoza singled to left field. Junior left-handed pitcher Bruno Condit took over and got Tampoya to strike out swinging, but both runners advanced on a passed ball. Senior infielder Michael Weber reached on a fielding error at third base and both Samoya and Espinoza scored to make the score 5-1.
Hoping to respond in the bottom of the eighth inning, freshman infielder Myles Cooper pinch-hit for junior infielder Jaylen Hodges. Cooper reached on a dropped pop-up by the catcher and advanced to second on the error. Senior utility Keoni Coloma walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch as Cooper went to third. Senior outfielder Carson Case hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Cooper and advanced Coloma to third. Snitko grounded out to shortstop, which brought in Coloma, as the ’Cats ended the eighth down 5-3.
Facing a two-run gap in the ninth, the ’Cats had one more chance to tie the game up.
After back-to-back flyouts, sophomore infielder Brady Wright singled to left field to bring up the tying run. Junior first baseman Roman Roberts came in to pinch hit and singled to left to score Wright. Senior right-handed pitcher and first baseman Rocco Borrelli pinch ran for Roberts and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With the tying run just 180 feet away, Cooper came up to the plate.
Unfortunately, Cooper couldn’t get the job done as he grounded out to second base and the Cougars took the series opener 5-4.
Game 2: March 21, 1 p.m.
Looking to bounce back after the series-opening loss, the ’Cats turned to junior right-handed pitcher Thomas Meyer.
The Cougars struck early against Meyer as King walked to start the game. Junior outfielder Jacob Embleton singled on a bunt and King advanced to second. Ryan also singled to load the bases for Samayoa. He took a 1-2 fastball over the fence for a grand slam, his seventh home run of the season, giving the Cougars the early lead, 4-0.
Still with no outs in the first inning, the Cougars looked to do more damage as two more batters reached base. Luckily, Meyer got out of the inning with redshirt junior infielder Jake Larson flying out to right field and freshman catcher Daniel Troncale popping out to second to keep the score 4-0.
The ’Cats responded in the second inning as sophomore catcher Jared Cantu singled to right field. Wright also singled to right to advance Cantu to second.
Both players advanced on the same wild pitch as the ’Cats had runners on second and third with no outs. Cooper brought in Cantu on a sacrifice fly to give the ’Cats their first run of the game. Freshman utility Jaden Neugebauer walked and sophomore utility Kobe Rolling singled to score Wright and advance both Neugebauer and Rolling to second and third.
The ’Cats loaded the bases as Coloma was hit by a pitch and now had a chance to do some damage. Instead, Case popped out to first base as the ’Cats came out of the second inning down 4-2.
Their momentum carried into the third inning as Snitko doubled down the right field line. Gadd singled to right center and Snitko advanced to third. Wright hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Snitko as the ’Cats cut the lead in half, 4-3.
Unfortunately, the ’Cats couldn’t score in the last six innings as the Cougars secured game two with a 4-3.
Game 3: March 21, 4 p.m.
Trying to avoid their second consecutive conference series loss, the ’Cats turned to Borrelli as the game three starter.
They took the lead early in the first inning, putting up two runs. Wright and junior infielder Michael Baker were both hit by pitches to give the ’Cats runners on first and second. Sophomore outfielder Myles Walton loaded the bases on a full-count walk.
With two outs in the inning, junior utility Joel Gutierrez doubled down the right field line to score Baker and Wright and give the ’Cats an early lead 2-0.
The ’Cats built off that momentum in the third inning as Walton tripled to left center. Looking to be aggressive and add on the lead, Walton stole home as the ’Cats left the third inning leading 3-0.
Not satisfied with the lead, the ’Cats broke open the game in the fourth inning.
Senior catcher Juan Nunez was hit by a 1-2 pitch. Hodges drew a four-pitch walk and Wright singled to left field to load the bases. Baker singled to right field to score a run and keep the bases loaded. Roberts came up with the bases loaded and a chance to blow open the game.
Roberts watched a breaking ball fall in the zone for a strike. He watched another outside the zone for a ball. On the third pitch of the at-bat, he did not miss as he clobbered a grand slam. Roberts’ grand slam was his first homer of the season and increased the ’Cats’ lead to 8-0.
The Cougars responded in the fifth inning with a pair of runs. Graduate student and catcher Max Shor singled to left field. King took a 1-1 Borelli pitch to center field for his sixth home run of the season, cutting the lead to 8-2.
Looking to regain the momentum after the homerun, the ’Cats responded with another run in the fifth inning. Nunez walked and advanced to second on a Hodges sacrifice bunt. Wright flew out to center field to advance Nunez to third and Coloma brought him in with a single as the ’Cats secured the win 9-2.
Roberts’ first home run of the season, a grand slam, was thrilling.
“It was electric,” Roberts said. “Coming out and performing for my team, knowing that they’ve been supporting me all season, and finally, being able to show up and show up for the team.”
Roberts knew the team would pick him up regardless of what happened at the plate.
“I always try to say, ‘ No pressure,” Roberts said. “I know that everybody has my back no matter the outcome, and I’m just happy that I was able to give them some security with our lead.”
He knew he would get a good pitch to swing at after studying the pitching sequence that the pitcher threw him in his previous at-bats.
“The first curve ball that I swung at, or slider, swinging a slider, fastball down,” Roberts said. “I knew he was gonna come back to the slider, try to get me over, and I was just ready for it.”
On top of Roberts’ elite performance at the plate, Borelli had his best pitching performance of the season, tossing six innings of two-run ball.
“My mindset when I go into any game is just to give the guys a chance to win the game. A lot of masters go out there and execute pitches,” Borelli said. “Just give us the best possible to win a game and help. The guys in my dugout just stay up. Feel like we got a chance to win each game and just give us a chance.”
Borelli relied on Coach Taylor’s game plan to improve his performance.
“It was kind of just staying true to who I was and just trusting Coach T and the pitches that he was calling, as long as I was executing those pitches that were called,” Borelli said. “I felt like I had a pretty good chance.”
Game 4: March 22, 11 a.m.
Looking to build off the dominant game three victory and secure the series split, the ’Cats sent out freshman right-handed pitcher Jakob Poole.
Neither team could score for most of the game, as Poole and Cougars redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Luke Higgins each threw six shutout innings.
The ’Cats had a chance in the third inning when Coloma was hit by a pitch and then stole second. Gadd grounded out to the pitcher and Coloma advanced to third with two outs in the inning. Unfortunately, Case popped up the ball to center field and left Coloma stranded.
As the game progressed into extra innings, still tied at zero, junior right-handed pitcher Manny Lopez pitched the final three innings. Lopez retired seven consecutive batters, but the ’Cats couldn’t back him up with any run support.
Things finally cracked at the top of the eleventh inning.
Lopez struck out graduate student Rees Kent but then hit Shor, putting the winning run on base.
With two outs, Samayoa stepped up to the plate and hammered a two-run home run. His second home run of the series and eighth of the season put the ’Cats down 2-0.
With one last chance to tie the game in the bottom of the eleventh, the ’Cats sent out Coloma, Snitko and Gadd to try and even the score.
Coloma went down swinging and Snitko popped up to third base.
Roberts pinch-hit for Gadd but flew out to left field and the ’Cats dropped their second series in a row.
Despite the loss, Poole had a great starting pitching performance, going six innings and allowing only two hits and a walk.
He felt he could keep batters off balance by relying on his best pitches.
“Just trusting my stuff,” Poole said. “Pounding the zone and guys are going to get themselves out.”
Poole felt like he had adjusted when he was promoted to a starting pitcher.
“I think just kind of the mindset changes. You’ve got to pitch for your teammates and everyone else,” Poole said. “I think that’s really about it. Just kind of the mindset has to change.”
Roberts doesn’t believe conference play has contributed to the team’s recent struggle.
“I think it’s all about being timely with our performance right now,” Roberts said. “You know, our pitchers are doing really good, our offense is lagging behind, but we will piece it all together. It’s all one big puzzle.”
After three series in conference play, Borrelli is confident in the other starting pitchers and thinks they need to make small improvements each week.
“I feel like we’ve done pretty well so far through CCAA conference play, and as long as we keep slightly improving, it doesn’t have to be nothing too big, too fast,” Borelli said. “As long as we keep building on the things that we do well, fix the things that we don’t do. I feel like everything’s just gonna start lining up the way it should.”
The ’Cats go back on the road for another away series, but Poole doesn’t feel like anything has changed from last week’s away series against Pomona.
“Come out ready to play,” Poole said. “Just grind it out for our teammates and be ready for the next series.”
The ’Cats continue CCAA conference play next week with another four-game series at Reeder Field against Cal State LA, starting on Friday at 6 p.m.
For information about all Chico State athletics or to keep up with the game live, visit the Wildcat home page, or watch through FloSports.
Jamison Leung can be reached at [email protected]
