RIVERSIDE – Chico State has put their post-season prospects in a
precarious position by splitting a double header with Cal State San
Bernardino,9-5 and 7-5, at Riverside Community College's Evans Park on
Saturday. 
    Chico's magic number for clinching a playoff berth over Cal
State Stanislaus and Cal State L.A. is now one, heading into the final game
of the regular season with three teams battling for four spots in the CCAA championship tournament that starts next Thursday.
     San Bernardino (24-25, 15-20) used a powerful offensive attack to score
early and often in game one, while Chico (36-13, 23-11) once again
relied on their aggressive base-running and situational hitting. 
    The Coyotes blasted four home runs in the 9-5 win in the opener -- by Drew Valenzuela, Jason Klug, Justin Watson and Billy Haynes. 
    Chico scored first in the second inning on an RBI single from first
baseman Kevin Seaver and an RBI triple from center fielder Shane Farmer,
who added an RBI double in the fifth. San Bernardino answered with a
solo shot to right by  Klug in the second and an RBI groundout by
Drew Valenzuela in the third. 
    The Coyotes rallied from a 3-2 deficie with three runs in the fourth and added four more in the sixth.
    San Bernardino's starter Kevin Wilson was knocked around early by
Chico, lasting 4.1innings while allowing all five runs on
eight hits to go along with three walks and two strikeouts. 
    David Martin picked up the win in relief in sparkling fashion. Martin (2-1) came
in with one out in the fifth and proceeded to mow down the next 14 Chico
hitters in order to get his second win of the season. Kyle Gibson
(1-2) took the loss for the Wildcats. 
     Game two was all Chico early, but wound up being anything but an easy
win for the Wildcats. 
    A gimpy Cheyne Hann (groin) held Chico to three runs through the first
four innings including a two-run single by right fielder Jimmy Dodos in
the third, but the Coyotes only scored one run in support, an RBI
single by Klug in the first. 
    Chico stretched their lead in the fifth with
RBI singles from Joey Burke and Dodos, an RBI from pinch-hitter Matt
Bitker who was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and scored another run
when Cody Dee hit into a double play with the bases loaded and nobody
out. 
    The Coyotes made it interesting when they had the tying run at the
plate in the form of Johnny Haas with two on and one out in the bottom of
the seventh. 
    Two runs had already scored in the inning thanks to an RBI
double by Mike Minjares and an RBI single by Valenzuela. Haas drilled a
Brian Save offering into deep right center, but Farmer caught the
drive with his back against the wall. Two batters later, Save got pinch
hitter Kyle Walton to strike out on a slider in the dirt to pick up his
first save of the year. 
    Andrew Pluta (9-3) pitched a tough five and one-third innings, allowing
two runs on five hits to get the win. Hann (5-2) was the loser. 
    If Chico wins the final game of the series Sunday at noon, or if either
of Cal State Stanislaus or Cal State L.A. loses, Chico will clinch a
berth in the CCAA championship tournament. 
    CSUSB would like nothing better than to spoil the party.