Sonoma State Forces Decisive CCAA Title Game Following 4-3 Victory
CHICO, Calif. – Ian Bridges singled through the right side to drive in Kris Haycock with the winning run as Sonoma State defeated Chico State, 4-3, Saturday afternoon to force a second championship game in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament at Nettleton Stadium.
The two teams will return to the field at 3:30 p.m. for the decisive game.
The Seawolves (45-13) rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the ninth inning to overshadow a dramatic three-run home run in the eighth inning from Chico State’s Josh Meagher that erased a 2-0 Sonoma State lead.
Bridges’ game-winning single came on a 0-2 pitch from Junior Garcia (1-1) after Kris Haycock drove home Ryan Averkieff with the tying run from second base.
The Sonoma State comeback resulted in a no-decision for Seawolves starter Kevin Asselin, who turned in a solid inning outing and was victimized by tough luck in the eighth inning.
After allowing a leadoff single to Jimmy Dodos, Bret Ringer hit a potential double play ball to third base. The ball hit the lip of the infield grass, stayed down and went past Travis Babin and down the left-field line for a double.
Meagher followed and hit a towering home run inside the right-field foul pole that gave Chico State a 3-2 lead.
In seven-plus innings, Asselin scattered eight hits, allowed three runs, walked three and struck out three.
Babin, who hit the game-winning home run Friday night to put Sonoma State in the championship game, went deep in his first at-bat Saturday, connecting for a two-run shot over the left field fence in the second inning that gave the Seawolves a 2-0 lead.
Sonoma State had a chance to increase its lead in the bottom of the fifth as it loaded the bases with no outs against Chico State starter Andrew Pluta.
However, the Wildcats’ right-hander was able to work out of the jam when he got a double play and Kyle Jones flew out to center field to end the threat.
Pluta turned in a solid outing as he went six innings, scattered seven hits, two runs, walked four and struck out two in a 114-pitch effort.