CHICO — It took until the fifth inning for the Chico State baseball team to get a hit in the second half of its doubleheader against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Thursday, but the Wildcats rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in the Wildcats’ home conference matchup. However the late surge by the Wildcats was too little too late, as they lost 5-3 after a 7-2 win in game one.
“It’s huge,” said Chico State outfielder Troy Kent about the three runs in the seventh inning after being held scoreless the first six. “Even though the scoreboard doesn’t show we won that game, we still got the energy from the last seventh inning to bring into tomorrow and hopefully take the first inning (Friday).”
The Wildcats (17-10, 12-10 California Collegiate Athletic Association) and Toros (10-18, 6-12 CCAA) played Friday, and the series will conclude at 11 a.m. Saturday, before the Wildcats hit the road for Cal State San Bernardino. The ‘Cats then take a break from CCAA play April 12-14 four a four-game series in Grand Junction, Colorado against Colorado Mesa, before returning to CCAA play at 6 p.m. April 19 at home against Cal State Monterey Bay.
Chico first baseman Daniel Vierra got the ‘Cats first hit with a single to right field to lead off the fifth inning, but he was quickly doubled off first base when Jeremy Keller lined out to Dominguez Hill first baseman Anthony Accordino.
Andrew Crane got a two-out, pinch hit double to deep centerfield, and advanced to third base on a walk and a wild pitch, but Chico stranded runners at second and third and was held scoreless.
Vierra was hit by a pitch to lead off the seventh inning, and Keller doubled on a sharp line drive down the left field line that scored Vierra and get the Wildcats on the scoreboard. Michael Baker walked with two outs and advanced to second base. Baker and Keller scored on a single up the middle by Patrick Barnum, but a groundout to Toros’ pitcher Chris Cornelius ended the scoring for Chico and gave the Toros the victory.
The Toros’ scoring got started when Jeffrey Ray, who was a First-Team All-CCAA selection for Chico State in 2022-23 before transferring to Dominguez Hills for his senior season, doubled to left field with the bases loaded to clear the bases. Ray had two hits, including a double, and three RBIs in his return to Chico. The Toros added a run in the fourth and a run in the sixth.
Chico right fielder Troy Kent, who had a hit in game one before going hitless in game two, tipped his cap to Dominguez Hills starter Julian Diaz after the game. Diaz pitched six innings, allowed three hits, two earned runs, two walks and struck out four after carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning.
“He was a great pitcher, good arm, he had us one hit for five or six innings,” Kent said. “He was dominating us with his stuff. We got some late life there, and showed a little bit of bounce back.”
Kent tied the record for most consecutive games with a hit in Chico State baseball history with 22 from Feb. 9 until March 23. He is batting .343 on the season with nine doubles, 29 RBI, 26 runs scored and just 13 strikeouts in 102 plate appearances.
“I think it starts with my approach,” Kent said. “Keeping things simple, hunting the fastball early, trying to get deep into counts, and try and see something deep and hit it the other way. The hit streak in general was a cool individual accomplishment, but I couldn’t have done that without a lot of luck and my teammates.”
Chico starting pitcher Kevin Lyons pitched six innings, allowing six hits, five runs (four earned), one walk and struck out two. Caden Reitzenstein pitched the final inning and allowed one hit and struck out two.
Chico opens the day with a win
The Wildcats scored four runs in the first inning of Thursday’s opener, sparked by back-to-back doubles by Thade Miller and Carson Stevens, en route to a 7-2 win.
Miller and Stevens’ doubles were the lone extra base hits in the game for the ‘Cats. Stevens finished with two hits and three RBIs.
Chico added two runs in the fifth inning, when Vierra scored on a groundout to shorten by Miller. Stefan Foley scored on a single to left field to increase Chico’s lead to 7-1.
Chico pitcher Marco Ibarra pitched six innings and allowed eight hits, two earned runs and struck out four. Joseph Loubert and Tyce Ochs combined to throw three innings in relief. Loubert walked one and struck out five in two innings.
