Participants (click on school to visit baseball website)
1. Chico State Chico State games can be heard on the web at www.csuchico.edu/athletics/radio.html
3. Mesa State
4. Grand Canyon Grand Canyon games can be heard on the web at www.swsn.net
Tournament Schedule
Thursday, May 16
Game 1 - (3) Mesa State 11, (2) Southern Colorado, 12
Game 2 - (1) Chico State 20, (4) Grand Canyon 4
Friday, May 17
Game 3 - Mesa State 5, Grand Canyon, 3 (Grand Canyon eliminated)
Game 4 - Chico State 5, Southern Colorado 0
Game 5 - Southern Colorado 6, Mesa State 3 (Mesa State eliminated)
Saturday, May 18
Game 6 - Chico State 17, Southern Colorado 2
West Regional Results:
2002 West Region All-Tournament
P - Brian Thomas, Chico State
P - Ivan Hernandez, Chico State
C - Rusty Kawachi, Chico State
1b - Adam Blong, Grand Canyon University
2b - Dave Marsh, University of Southern Colorado
3b - Ryan Tash, Chico State
SS - Amadeo LeFebre, University of Southern Colorado
OF - Steve Newson, Chico State
OF - Tony Wittmus, University of Southern Colorado
OF - Miguel Mendoza, Chico State
DH - John Moylan, Chico State
At-Large - Dan Clements (P), Mesa State
Most Outstanding Player - John Moylan, Chico State
Chico State Headed Back To Alabama Thanks to 17-2 Win
Game 6: Chico State17, Southern Colorado 2
Game 6 boxscore
CHICO, CA – For the fourth time in six seasons the Chico State baseball team is headed to the Division II College World Series in Montgomery, Ala.
The Wildcats banged out 21 hits and Brian Thomas and Nic Ammano combined on a five-hitter in a 17-2 drubbing of the University of Southern Colorado in the Western Regional championship game Saturday at Nettleton Stadium. The Wildcats, who outscored their opponents 42-6 in three games over the weekend, also tied the school's single-season record with their 52nd win. They are 52-9 overall.
Southern Colorado, ranked No. 17 in the nation entering the weekend, finished the season with a mark of 43-17.
Prior to this weekend the Wildcats had hosted the Western Regional three times, in 1997, 98, and 99. All three times they advanced to the World Series. Saturday, the Wildcats set out quickly to keep that streak alive. Robby Poole, Jeff Walker, and Steve Newson all reached base to start the top of the first, and Ryan Tash's sacrifice fly got the Wildcats on the board for the first of many times. Rusty Kawachi, Brad Walski, and Ryan Wulfert knocked in a run apiece in the inning to make it 4-0. The Wildcats increased the lead to 6-0 on Newson's two-run triple in the second.
Southern Colorado got on the board in the bottom of the second when Bobby Quick doubled and came around to score on Frank Risner's ground ball. The Thunderwolves later cut the lead to 6-2 on Tony Wittmus' run-scoring single. However, that would be as close as Southern Colorado would get.
The Wildcats added three runs in the sixth. Johnny Molina and Steve Newson each banged out RBI singles and Tournament MVP John Moylan walked with the bases loaded to make it 9-2. Chico State added single runs in the seventh and eighth when Jeff Walker and Chris Henry knocked in a run apiece. A six-run ninth capped the scoring.
As the host of four Western Regional tournaments, the Wildcats are now 12-2 with four titles.
Chico State has also had a lot of success in the World Series, winning it all in 1997 and 1999 and finishing 2-2 in 1998. The Wildcats are 10-2 all-time in Alabama.They'll open World Series play Saturday at 11 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. (pst) against a team yet to be determined.
Southern Colorado Advances Behind Marsh's 4 RBI
Game 5: Southern Colorado 6, Mesa State 3
Game 5 boxscore
CHICO, Calif.-- David Marsh homered and knocked in four runs as the University of Southern Colorado defeated Mesa State 6-3 to advance to the final day of the NCAA Division II Western Regional. Marsh plated a run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, banged out a two-run single in the fifth, and hit a solo homer - his 18th - in the seventh. He also scored two runs.
Southern Colorado, ranked No. 17 in the nation, improved to 43-16 and will face tournament-host Chico State (51-9) Saturday at noon. Because of a 5-0 loss to Chico State in an earlier game Friday, the Thunderwolves must beat Chico State twice Saturday to advance to the NCAA Division II World Series. If a second game is necessary, it will take place immediately after the first.
Mesa State finished its season 39-23. Mike Herman (2-2) took the loss.
Ruben Renteria pitched well for Southern Colorado, giving up three runs, only two of them earned, in six-plus innings of work to improve to 3-1 on the season. Mike Leyba and Alberto Hernandez finished out the game with two-plus innings of hitless relief. Hernandez struck out four of the six batters he faced to collect his first save of the season.
Southern Colorado took the lead for good in the first inning. Tony Wittmus and Amadeo LeFebre led off the game with back-to-back singles and Sam Christensen grounded out to second base to plate Wittmus and move LeFebre over to third. Marsh took advantage with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
Mesa State answered with a run in the fourth when Brandon Halcomb drove home John Morland with a double to make it 2-1. However, the Thunderwolves quickly distanced themselves from Mesa State with three more runs in the fifth. Marsh's two-run single and Ryan Carlton's successful squeeze bunt proved to be the key plays of the inning.
Mesa State managed to stay close with another run in the bottom of the inning when Moreland brought Deke DeCrow plateward with an RBI-groundout. Southern Colorado scored its final run of the game on Marsh's solo blast in the seventh. After Mesa State's threat in the bottom-half of the frame netted only one run, Southern Colorado was never threatened again.
Chico State advances to Championship game
Game 4: Chico State 5, Southern Colorado 0
Game 4 boxscore
Chico, CA - Ivan Hernandez and Nic Amanno combined on a five-hit shutout as the Chico State baseball team advanced to Saturday’s championship game of the NCAA Division II Western Regional with a 5-0 victory over Colorado State University. Hernandez (9-2) scattered five hits over six innings for the victory. Ammano relieved in the seventh and allowed only one walk and struck out two in three innings for his first save of the season.
Chico State, ranked No. 3 in the nation, improved to 51-9 with the win. Seventeenth-ranked Southern Colorado dipped to 42-16.
Southern Colorado will face Mesa State tonight at 7 p.m. in an elimination game. The winner of that game advances to face Chico State Saturday at noon. The Wildcats will have to be beaten twice if any other team is to advance.
Friday, the Wildcats’ offense gave the pitching staff what would prove to be more than enough support with three runs in the first inning. Southern Colorado starter Mike Deulen (6-5) walked the first two batters he faced, hit the third, and then forced home Robby Poole by walking John Moylan. Ryan Tash then drove home the second run with a sacrifice fly, spelling the end of Deulen’s day. Miguel Mendoza greeted reliever Brad Glassco with a run-scoring single to make it 3-0.
The Wildcats added two more runs with a two-out rally in the fifth. Moylan started it with a single that extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Left fielder Chad Cullimore then dropped Ryan Tash’s fly ball allowing Moylan to score and Tash to advance to second base. Brad Walski followed with a single to plate Tash and make the score 5-0.
Southern Colorado had five hits in the game, including doubles by the West Region Player of the Year, first baseman Sam Christensen and right fielder Ryan Carlton.
Mesa State eliminates Grand Canyon with 5-3 win
Game 3: Mesa State 5, Grand Canyon 3
Game 3 boxscore
CHICO, Calif.--The Mesa State Mavericks kept their hopes alive for a trip to the Division II College World Series with a 5-3 win over Grand Canyon University today in game three of the Division II Western Regional at Nettleton Stadium.
Grand Canyon, now 38-21, is the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. Mesa State, now 39-22, will play tonight at 7 p.m. against the loser of the Chico State-Southern Colorado game.
The pitching that escaped both teams in the first round came back under control today, as Mesa starter Dan Clements (11-4) pitched a complete-game seven hitter. He gave up three runs, two earned, struck out four and walked three. Grand Canyon starter Devin Perrin (8-4) pitched into the eighth inning giving up five runs, just two earned, on seven hits. Perrin struck out five and walked three.
Grand Canyon started the scoring in the top of the second with two runs on one hit. The runs were plated compliments of a sacrifice fly off the bat of Andy Lane and a throwing error by Mesa's second baseman, which allowed Adam Blong to come around and score, unearned.
Mesa State answered back with solo runs in the third through sixth innings to take a 4-2 lead. In the third Jon Rentschler doubled to drive in Keith Osso, who reached on a single to left field. John Moreland drove in the run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly to score Deke DeCrow, who led off the inning with a walk.
In the fifth, Landon Wareham belted a single down the right field line to bring in Rentschler, who should have been erased on the base path one play earlier, but a dropped ball by Canyon's second baseman found him safe at second. Mesa State picked up another unearned run in the sixth when Keith Osso singled to left to bring in Moreland, who lead off the inning with a strike out but reached first on a passed ball.
Grand Canyon's only other run came in the seventh when Chris Rock hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Travis Kaats, who reached base on a single to left center.
Mesa State added its final tally in the bottom of the eighth, Rion Sundloff led off the inning reaching on an error by the third baseman and scored on Brandon Halcomb's single to right field.
Trailing 5-3, Grand Canyon put its first two runners on base in the ninth via a walk to Kaats and a single by Lane, but a popped up bunt and a line drive to second base for a double play ended the threat.
Wildcats Hit Five Homers in Regional-Opening Win
Game 2: Chico State 20, Grand Canyon 4
Game 2 boxscore
CHICO, Calif.--The Chico State baseball team exploded for 20 runs thanks to five homers in a 20-4 victory over Grand Canyon in the opening round of the NCAA Western Regional Baseball Tournament Friday night at Nettleton Stadium. John Moylan went deep twice and Ryan Tash, Miguel Mendoza, and Ryan Wulfert also homered for the Wildcats, who improved to 50-9. Grand Canyon fell to 38-20.
Chico State will take on Southern Colorado, a 12-11 winner against Mesa State in Thursday's first game, Friday at 3 p.m. Grand Canyon will do battle with Mesa State in an elimination game at 11 a.m.
Thursday, Chico Starter Adam Montarbo continued his late-season dominance, allowing four runs, just two of them earned, on seven hits in seven-plus innings to improve to 11-2 on the season. He also struck out a season-high nine batters for the third time in four starts. He's 4-0 in those last four starts. Meanwhile, Grand Canyon's starting pitchers continued to struggle in the postseason. Starter Klent Corley (7-5) surrendered nine runs, eight of them earned, on nine hits in four innings of work . In three postseason starts, the 'Lopes' starters have combined to allow 24 earned runs in nine innings pitched.
Moylan, Tash, and Mendoza, the Wildcats' four, five, and six hitters, were the three biggest offensive heroes for the Wildcats, but they weren't the only ones. Moylan homered twice, knocked in four runs, and scored four more. Tash went 4-for-5 with three RBI and four runs scored. Mendoza also knocked in four runs and scored three times thanks to a 2-for-3 effort. In all, nine different Wildcats combined for 22 hits and the team scored in all but two innings.
Chico State is now just two wins shy of the school record of 52 and four home runs shy of the school record of 66. Also in the game, Robby Poole set the school's single-season record for hit-by-pitches with 23.
Ninth inning rally wins it for Southern Colorado
Game 1: Southern Colorado 12, Mesa State 11
Game 1 boxscore
CHICO, Calif.--Southern Colorado's Sam Christensen singled down the left-field line with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to drive in the tying and winning runs as the Thunderwolves came from behind to beat Mesa State, 12-11, in the first game of the Division II Western Regional at Nettleton Stadium.
Southern Colorado, now 42-15, will play Friday at 3 p.m. against the winner of the Chico-Grand Canyon game. Mesa State, now 38-22, will play the loser of the Chico-Grand Canyon game Friday at 11 a.m.
Mesa State was in control of the game from the beginning putting up a run in the first and four in the second, capped off by a two-out, three-run double by left fielder Chris Crews.
Southern Colorado picked away at the 5-0 lead, but never overcame the deficit. The Thunderwolves scored single runs in the second through fifth innings and two more in the sixth to cut Mesa's lead to one, 7-6.
But Mesa State was not done yet, building back up the lead with four runs in the seventh. First baseman Deke DeCrow highlighted the inning with a two-run single to give the Mavericks an 11-6 advantage.
In the bottom of the ninth with one out and runners on first and second, Southern Colorado pinch hitter Frank Risner drove in the first run of the inning with a single up the middle and Tony Wittmus, the next batter, drove in the second run with another hit through the middle. Amadeo LeFebre, who had four hits in the game, loaded the bases on a hard hit single to third base, setting the table for Christensen's final blast. The hit was Christensen's 103rd of the season and ties him for the school record for hits in a season.
For Southern Colorado Bobby Quick and Wittmus each had three hits and Mesa State's Mike Johnson had three hits, including two doubles.
Alberto Hernandez (3-3) picks up the win after shutting Mesa State out the final two innings. Brandon Ortiz (4-3) records the loss, giving up the four runs in the ninth and two more in the eighth.