Chico State Athletics

Kacie McCarthy’s freshman season as a Wildcat has been filled with highlights, but the Shingletown native turned in her most memorable performances of the year last weekend in the NCAA West Sub-Regional at Sonoma State, posting three straight victories and helping Chico State advance to the West Super Regional in Hawaii. The Wildcats are just two wins away from reaching the Division II College World Series, thanks in large part to the pitching prowess of McCarthy, who is the latest recipient of Wildcat of the Week honors.

In Friday’s Sub-Regional opener, McCarthy took over for Chico State starter Jessica McDermott and tossed seven-and-a-third innings of relief, striking out a career-high 11 batters and earning the win as the Wildcats beat 15th ranked Grand Canyon University 5-4 in eight innings. In Saturday’s winner’s bracket game versus No. 14 Sonoma State, McCarthy twirled a one-hit shutout in Chico State’s 7-0 victory over the host Seawolves. Sunday McCarthy completed the postseason trifecta, going the distance for the 18th time this year and getting credit for the “W” as the ’Cats rallied back from three runs down to score four times in the bottom of the sixth inning and pull out a 4-3 victory over Dixie State to sweep through the Sub-Regional and advance to this weekend’s West Super Regional.

McCarthy, now 16-10 on the season, lowered her season ERA to 1.92 with the three weekend wins and is ranked third among California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) pitchers. She also is sixth in the conference in victories and innings pitched (164.1). She leads the Wildcats in wins, complete games, innings pitched and appearances (29).

Chico State takes on the No. 3 ranked Sea Warriors of Hawaii Pacific Friday at 5 p.m. Pacific time in the opener of the West Super Regional in Kaneohe, Hawaii. The winner of the best-of-three set will advance to the Division II College World Series May 27-31 in St. Joseph, Missouri.

As a decathlete, Brian Beeman is used to running all over the place. But he took it to a new level last week. After competing in the decathlon, high jump and javelin to help lead the Chico State men’s track & field team to the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship March 6-8, he got on a bus and arrived back in Chico in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Then, he turned around to head back to Southern California for the Claremont Classic Decathlon and turned in an NCAA Provisional Qualifying mark and personal best score of 6,512 on Thursday and Friday.

That iron-man feet has earned him Wildcat of the Week honors.

Beeman finished sixth at the Burns Track and Field Complex while logging the 15th best score in the nation this year. He won the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:31.75, placed third in the 400-meter dash (51.19 seconds) and tied for third in the high jump (6-feet-02.75).

Beeman and a number of his Wildcats teammates now await Wednesday morning’s NCAA Track and Field Championships selection show to found out if he’s earned a berth to the National Championships May 27-29 in Charlotte, North Carolina.