CHICO – Cal State San Bernardino climbed right back into the CCAA baseball chase Saturday when the Coyotes earned a sweep over league-leading and 7th-ranked Chico State, winning 8-6 and 4-3 at Nettleton Stadium.

The Coyotes, now 15-14 overall and 12-9 in the CCAA, will complete the series Sunday with a nine-inning contest that begins at 11 a.m. Their victories were the first for a visiting team this season and snapped CSUC's 15-game home winning streak.

Game 1: Coyotes 8, Chico State 6

Trailing 2-0 after the first inning, the Coyotes got on track with a three-run second and never trailed for the remainder of the game.

In the second, the Coyotes sent eight men to the plate and produced three runs on two hits with an error. Brandon Day earned the first RBI with a bases-loaded walk and Mike Newell followed with a run-scoring single that brought in Matt Winn. Ethan Chapman followed on a run-scoring error by the third baseman that scored Bryce Holland, who singled.

A two-run fourth by the Coyotes pushed the lead to 5-2. David Silvas and Winn each had run-scoring singles.

Consecutive doubles by Silvas and Winn earned another run in the sixth. Chico answered with two runs in its sixth and one in the seventh, but the Coyotes added another eighth on Chris LeFay's RBI-single that scored Chapman, who walked and led 7-5.

Day drove in run in the ninth for CSUSB and the Coyotes' relief corps got the job done in the ninth, despite giving up one run.

LHP Cory Caruso earned the win in 5 1/3 innings with three strikeouts. Junior RHP Josh Pond earned his league-leading ninth save with two strikeouts in the ninth.

Game 2: Coyotes 4, Chico State 3

A four-run sixth made the difference for CSUSB. Chapman led off with a single and got to third on a sacrifice bunt from Erik Ornelas and a stolen base.

Silvas was intentionally walked and Darren Dworak followed with a fielding error by the shortstop that scored Chapman. Winn followed with an RBI-fielder's choice that scored Silvas and Day had the big hit of the inning with an RBI-double and later scored on a wild pitch.

Chico State came right back with three runs in its half of the inning, but couldn't earn the lead.
Chapman had two hits for CSUSB.

Earning the win was Lucas Sanford (4-1) with three strikeouts and one walk. Pond picked up save No. 10 in 1 2/3 innings. He had one strikeout as did Josh Lee, who faced two batters in the sixth.