CHICO, Calif. - The baseball team took on North State neighbor Chico State University today in a doubleheader.
The Red Hawks battled in the game but fell short 10-3 against the Wildcats in game one.
Dalton Alford got the nod and his first start of the year in game one of today's mid-week matchup.
Back-to-back singles in the top of the third inning by
Brayden Swenson and
Dylan Leek put runners on the corners for
Brady Meeds.
Meeds pushed across the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly ball to right field that scored Swenson from third base.
But the Wildcats went on to score in the next three innings to grab the 4-1 lead.
Simpson tacked on two runs in the top of the seventh inning to pull within one run.
A one-out single by
Keelan Yagi followed by a Swenson double put two runners in scoring position with one out.
A clutch two out two RBI single by Meeds scored Swenson and Yagi to make the score 4-3 Chico State.
However, Chico State added on five insurance runs in the bottom of the eight to take a commanding 10-3 lead that Simpson could not overcome.
Dylan Leek,
Titus Sato, and
Brayden Swenson led the Red Hawks with two-hit performances.
Brady Meeds registered one hit but recorded all three of Simpson's runs on a sacrifice fly and a two-RBI single.
Simpson used six different arms but
Dalton Alford earned his first loss of the year as he went 4.0 innings and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out seven Wildcats.
Game 2:
A
Brady Meeds hit by pitch to begin the game followed by a
Logan Gomes single to right field put runners on the corners for the Red Hawks to begin the ball game.
Maximiliano Lopez picked up the RBI and the game's first run on a fielders-choice ground ball to the Wildcats shortstop.
But Chico State grabbed the 4-1 lead at the end of three innings on starter
Chad Horton and relief pitcher
Andrew Galindo.
Simpson threatened again in the top of the fourth inning after back-to-back singles by Lopez and
Micah Kele.
Catcher
Jaxon Hotta picked up the clutch two-out RBI single to right field to cut the Wildcat lead in half, 4-2.
The Red Hawks put the tying run aboard in the top half of the sixth inning after back-to-back singles by
Angel Cota and Andreyes Palacious.
However, the Wildcat reliever came into the game and struck out the next two Red Hawks batters to strand the tying run aboard.
But Chico State busted open in the bottom of the sixth inning for six runs off six hits and no Red Hawks errors to grab the 10-2 lead.
Simpson could not overcome the eight-run deficit as they fell 10-2 in the seven-inning ball game.
The Red Hawk's offense produced eight hits by eight different players while Lopez and Hotta each recorded an RBI.
Simpson used five different arms but starter
Chad Horton suffered his first loss of the year as he went 2.0 innings and allowed two runs off two hits.
Simpson looks to bounce back as they hit the road this weekend to take on D2 opponent Cal State Eastbay on Saturday and Sunday.
