CHICO, Calif. – The Cal State East Bay baseball team dropped the opening game of their four game California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) road series against the Chico State Wildcats on Friday evening, April 28 at Nettleton Stadium.
The Pioneers (24-18, 15-15 CCAA) battled the Wildcats (35-7, 28-3 CCAA) to a 5-4 loss.
Despite the close one-run loss the Pioneers hit three home run blasts including two from Tory Resch and a solo shot from
Michael Thomas.
East Bay lit the scoreboard up first in the opening frame of action sparked by
Michael Thomas' solo blast to left field. Tory Resch followed the next at bat with his own solo homer over the right field wall to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead.
Thomas and Resch are tied for the team lead with three home runs apiece. Thomas finished with a hit, a run scored, a RBI and a home run. Resch led CSUEB with three hits, two runs scored, two RBIs and two homers.
The Wildcats to knot the score at 2-2 with two runs of their own in the opening inning. Chico State would then take the lead with two more runs scored in the bottom of the third inning to claim a 4-2 advantage.
The Pioneers looked to return the favor started by a
Joey Dice double to center field. in the next at bat,
Zack Perugi belted an RBI single to right field scoring Dice and cutting the Chico State lead to 4-3.
Joey Dice complied a double and a run scored while
Zack Perugi added two hits and a RBI.
In the top in the six inning Tory Resch would tie the game at 4-4 with his second solo shot over the right field wall.
But the Wildcats would respond with a run in the bottom of the sixth frame and hold on for the 5-4 victory.
Jacob Call (L, 5-4) led the Pioneers with 3.2 innings tossed, recording a strikeout and walking two batters.
Joshua Kubiske allowed just two runs during his two innings of action.
Joel Lamont and
Nick Risucci both logged an inning of action combining for a strikeout and two walks.
The Pioneers will square off against the Wildcats in a doubleheader Saturday, April 29 at Nettleton Stadium scheduled for a noon start.