Published 2009-03-29T00:00:00Z”/>

Thomas Lawrence

March 28, 2009

A nail-biter extra innings affair and a football score blowout did the trick for another doubleheader sweep for the Chico State baseball team on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats, which had already taken the first three games in a five-game set against the Hawaii Pacific Sea Warriors, were tested in game one on Saturday – as the seven-inning game went into extras all the way into the ninth.

With a runner in scoring position, right fielder Jimmy Dodos ended it with a frozen rope walk-off single to right field to win it for the ‘Cats.

In game two, it was all Wildcats from the outset, knocking out usual stud and left-hander Daniel Cox early on after an offensive onslaught and four errors by the Sea Warriors defense – two from the catcher Alex Agortsas and two from Cox himself.

In the midst of the blowout, with the score 12-0, senior transfer Robert Mills sent a laser beam over the right field wall for a grand slam to send the game to its final score: 16-0.

Senior Andrew Pluta got his third win of the season for the Wildcats, going five scoreless innings before he was replaced by Brian Fowler in the sixth.

The five wins over the weekend against Hawaii Pacific could go a long way to give the ‘Cats momentum for California Collegiate Athletic Association foe UC San Diego next weekend, said head coach Dave Taylor.

“Baseball is confidence and momentum and I think we were able to get those back into our dugout this weekend,” Taylor said. “We re-focused ourselves this week to start a new season.”

Josh Meagher, the ‘Cats everyday designated hitter and occasional catcher, had three home runs over the weekend and leads the team with 12 on the season.

“It was (nice) to get that good feeling going again,” Meagher said about Chico’s weekend sweep.

Next up for the Wildcats is a four game series at home next weekend against first place UC San Diego.

Thomas Lawrence can be reached at<a href= “mailto:[email protected]”>[email protected]</a>