Box Score LA JOLLA – Danny Miller started the day on the bench. He finished the day a hero. Miller hit one of the biggest postseason home runs in Chico State baseball history, a frozen rope two-run homer in the eighth inning, as Chico State rallied from three runs down to beat Dixie State 5-4 in the opening round of the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional at Triton Ballpark on the campus of UC San Diego.
 
The Wildcats will play California Baptist Friday night at 7 p.m. in a winners' bracket game broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY and online at ChicoWildcats.com.
 Miller drove in the Wildcats' last three runs as they fought back from a 4-1 deficit. He was in the middle of the Wildcats' order early in the season but a 2-for-16 stretch and some defensive struggles landed him on the bench. That's where he was again Thursday before Head Coach Dave Taylor asked him to pinch-hit with two on in the fifth. Miller looped a single to right field to cut Dixie State's lead to 4-3.
 
That was the score when he came to bat again in the eighth with Connor Huesers standing on second following a leadoff double. Miller turned on a 1-1 pitch and lined it well beyond the right-field wall to put the Wildcats ahead for good. It was his first extra-base hit of the season, providing a bright silver lining to what has thus far been an admittedly gloomy campaign.
 
"It's been really rough personally. Not what I expected," said Miller, who was the MVP of the Far West League this summer and had high expectations for the season. "I'm kind of in shock right now to be honest. I kept looking up at the foul pole thinking it would go foul with the kind of luck I've had. I'm still kind of walking on a cloud."
 
Miller's blast made a winner out of Chico State starter Nick Baker (10-1), who allowed four runs on five hits in eight innings. Luke Barker retired the Red Storm in order in the ninth for his 15^th save, tying Chico State's single-season record shared by John Soldate (1997) and Nick Burger (2005).
 
Chico State, ranked 9th in the nation, is now 40-13. This marks the 12^th 40-win season in program history and fourth in Taylor's eight years at the helm. Dixie State, champions of the Pacific West Conference and ranked 27^th, fell to 35-16. The Red Storm will play the loser of tonight's UC San Diego-Sonoma State game Friday at 11 a.m. in an elimination game.
 
Back to Thursday: The first inning was a wreck for the Wildcats. With two down and a runner aboard, Baker walked two in a row to load the bases and then threw a wild pitch to allow the first run to score. His next pitch was lined into right-center, plating two more runs.
 The two walks matched Baker's season high, the wild pitch was just his second of the season, and the three earned runs were the second most he's allowed all season and most since Feb. 14 at Triton Ballpark against UC San Diego.
 
The Wildcats loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning before Tyler Madrid struck out swinging to end the threat.
 
Chico State got a run back in the fourth on Ryne Clark's line RBI-single to left.
 
After Dixie State added a run in the fifth, Chico State closed the gap to 4-3 with a pair of runs in the bottom-half of the frame. Ruben Padilla led off the inning with a single before Peter Miller was hit by a pitch, setting the table. Huesers' two-out RBI single set the stage for Danny Miller's entrance.
 
"Danny boy has kind of been waiting for his turn," said Head Coach Dave Taylor affectionately. "I had Danny boy on my mind last night and this morning and even thought about giving him a start depending on how the wind was blowing."
 
His decision not too actually paid off as Eric Angerer (who would have played in the outfield had Miller started) made a pair of terrific defensive plays at first base.
 
The Wildcats played great defense all day behind Baker, who uncharacteristically uncorked two wild pitches, hit a batter, was called for a balk, and threw a pickoff attempt wildly toward first for just his second error of the season.
 
What was characteristic of Baker was his ability to keep the Red Storm from squaring many balls up. He got 16 groundball outs, two pop-ups and allowed just three hits in his final seven innings of work.
 
"To throw up zeroes basically for the rest of the game after the first inning – that's Nick Baker," said Taylor. "That's what we've seen for four years."
 
Baker, named the West Region's Pitcher of the Year earlier in the day, improved to 32-8 in his four-year career and is now just one win away from tying Bush Dalrymple (1947-50) for second in career wins.
 
The Wildcats are hoping to pick up a few more wins this weekend to give Baker a chance for his 33^rd.
 
GAME NOTES – Taylor was named the West Region Coach of the Year prior to the game, Taylor West Region Coach of the Year, Baker, Luke Barker, Ruben Padilla, Cody Slader, Brad Lohse and Eric Angerer First Team All-West Region, and Peter Miller Second Team All-Region…Clark's RBI-single gives him a hit in 11 straight games. He's hitting 20-for-45 (.444) during the streak…Angerer failed to reach base for the first time in 20 games, going 0-for-5…The Wildcats are 4-1 in NCAA Championship Tournament play against Dixie State, all coming in the past three seasons…The Red Storm are coached by Taylor's former assistant, Chris Pfatenhauer…The Wildcats are attempting to capture their ninth NCAA Championship Tournament West Region title in the last 18 years.