2000 California Collegiate Athletic Association
Baseball Championship Tournament
Nettleton Stadium, Thursday-Saturday, May 11-13.

Thursday, May 11
Game 1 - (3) Sonoma State 2, (2) Grand Canyon 3
Game 2 - (4) Cal Poly Pomona 10 (1) Chico State 2

Friday, May 12
Game 3 - Chico State 8, Sonoma State 4.
Game 4 - Grand Canyon 2, Cal Poly Pomona 9
Game 5 - Chico State 10, Grand Canyon 1

Saturday, May 13
Game 6 - Cal Poly Pomona 2, Chico State 4
Game 7 - Cal Poly Pomona 1, Chico State 4

Chico State Wins CCAA Baseball Title

CHICO, Calif.- No. 1 seed Chico State battled back through the loser's bracket and beat Cal Poly Pomona twice today, 4-2 and 4-1, to win the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament.

In the first game, Chico State (43-10) called on pitcher Jason Cly for the start. Cly (3-3), a Third Team All-American last season, had not pitched in a game for three weeks and had been putting in time as the Wildcats' catcher.

Cly retired the first 13 he faced and allowed just one runner to reach base, on a hit in the fifth inning, through eight innings of work. Tiring in the ninth, Cly gave up a leadoff homer to Ryan Vorell, a triple to Andre Gomez, and a RBI-single to Daniel Bobadilla, before being relieved by Brett Halbert and Brian Grover who picked up the save.

Chico first baseman, Ryan Tash scored the first three runs of the game, reaching base each time on a single. Jose Montes also picked up three hits and scored on a squeeze bunt by George Pena in the fifth inning for the final run of the game.

Cal Poly Pomona (32-26) starter Christopher Amaya (6-4) pitched six innings, giving up all four runs, two unearned. John Heaton pitched three innings of effective relief for the Broncos, giving up just one hit and walking three.

In the final winner-takes-all game, Chico's Aaron Warmerdam (4-0) made his third start of the year and gave up just one run on five hits, Vorell's second of the day, through six innings. Grover came on and pitched the final three innings, giving up just two hits, to pick up his team-leading seventh save of the season.

Pomona started Will Morris (6-3) went the distance, shutting out Chico until the fifth inning when Carlos Fletes drove in Matt Synhorst for the first run of the game. Chico's second run came when Tash single in the sixth, ended up on third after a failed pick-off attempt and then scored on a wild pitch.

The Wildcats added two more in the seventh on a two-out, two-run single by Luke Neel to drive in Bao-hnan Vinh and Christian Franco.

The CCAA will now await word on participants and site of the West Regional to be held next weekend.

Chico State Stays Alive to Face Cal Poly Pomona in Championship

CHICO, Calif.- The Chico State pitching staff combined to give up no earned runs and keep the Wildcats title hopes alive, beating Grand Canyon 10-1 in an elimination game in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Baseball Championship Tournament.

No. 1 seed Chico State (41-10) will battle No. 4 seed Cal Poly Pomona (32-24) for the CCAA Championship title on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Cal Poly Pomona must be beaten twice to lose the title, as they enter the championship undefeated, having beaten Chico State 10-2 in round one and Grand Canyon 9-2. Chico State comes out of the loser's bracket, beating Sonoma State 8-4 earlier today and Grand Canyon tonight.

Chico starter Phil Derryman (W 8-1) pitched six innings and faced two batters in the seventh before giving way to three Wildcat relievers who finished out the game. Things did not start out smoothly for Derryman, who's first batter, Blake Woods, reached on an error, advanced on a wild pitch, and later scored on a wild pitch for an unearned run and a 1-0 Grand Canyon lead.

Derryman settled down and gave up just one hit through the first four innings and just five in his six innings of work. His outing ended after leadoff singles by Ronnie Holtorf and Erik Johnson to start off the seventh inning.

Brett Halbert struck out the only batter he faced in the seventh and Aaron Warmerdam finished the seventh and went on to pitch the eighth, retiring all five batters he faced. Brian Grover came on in the ninth and surrendered back-to-back, two-out hits before tallying the final out.

Chico opened the scoring in the bottom of the third on Steve Guerrero's double to left center to drive in Christian Franco. In the fifth inning, Chico tacked on three more runs for a 4-1 lead, due in part to two Canyon errors, a sacrifice fly by George Pena and a RBI-double by Bao-nhan Vinh.

Chico put up five more insurance runs in the seventh inning on just two hits, one a pinch-hit three-run dinger by Derek Cordell, who stroked the first pitch he saw over the right-field fence. Ryan Tash hit a base-loaded single to drive in two runs to set the stage for Cordell's homer.

Grand Canyon pitcher Jeromie Spillman (L 5-4) lasted 6.1 innings, giving up six runs, five earned, on six hits. He walked four and struck out four. Reliever J.J. Rafferty gave up four runs on four hits in his 1.2 innings of work.

Cal Poly Pomona Advances to Championship Game

CHICO, Calif.- No. 4 seed Cal Poly Pomona cruised into the championship game of the California Collegiate Athletic Association Baseball Championship Tournament with a commanding 9-2 win over No. 2 seed Grand Canyon University.

Pomona, now 32-24, finished up strong in the regular season and has now won 13 of its last 15 games. The Broncos will play the winner of tonight's game between Grand Canyon and Chico State for the CCAA Championship title on Saturday at 1 p.m. Pomona beat No. 1 seed Chico State in the first round of tournament play on Thursday evening, 10-2.

Cal Poly right-hander Andrew Perry improved his record to 3-5, pitching the complete game. He struck out nine, scattered eight hits, and did not allow more than one hit in any inning until the sixth.

The Broncos put on a power display at the plate in the early innings, rocking Grand Canyon starter Ryan McKinley (L 8-2) for nine runs on eight hits, five of them doubles, in the second through fourth innings.

In the third, Pomona used doubles by Anthony Gonzales, Daniel Bobadilla, and Chris Fusillo, plus a hit by Justin Davis to score four runs in the bottom of the frame. The next inning with two outs, the Broncos took advantage of three walks in the inning, one to plate a run, before Chris Fusillo blasted his third double of the game to clear the bases and give Pomona a 9-0 lead.

Grand Canyon, 37-20 on the season, avoided the shutout when designated hitter Tyler Beuerlein tallied his 12th homer of the season to lead off the top of the seventh. The 'Lopes added another run in the eighth when Josh Brack opened the inning with a double, his second of the game, moved over on a sacrifice fly and scored on a ground-ball out to second.

'Lopes reliever Rob Kelly came on for McKinley in the fourth inning and gave up just two hits and struck out two in his 4.1 innings of work.

Chico State Avoids Elimination in CCAA Tourney With Win
Over Sonoma State

CHICO, Calif.- Chico State rallied for 16 hits and got a solid pitching performance from starter Alex Carbajal as the Wildcats beat Sonoma State, 8-4, in the first of two elimination games today at the CCAA Baseball Championship Tournament.

Chico State improves its record to 40-10 and keeps the hope alive for a CCAA title. The 'Cats will play the loser of the Grand Canyon/Cal Poly Pomona game at 7:00 tonight in another elimination game.

Sonoma State ends its season at 39-23 and is eliminated from the tournament, having also lost in game one to Grand Canyon University, 3-2.

Chico State wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. The 'Cats, with two outs in the first inning, strung together four straight hits, singles by Bao-nhan Vinh, Derek Cordell, and Luke Neil and a two-run double down the right field line by Brian Fachet.

The Wildcats came up with another big inning in the top of the fifth, when again with two outs Chico rallied for four runs on five hits. In the game, Chico top five batters in the order combined for 12 of the team's 16 hits.

Sonoma was led by Bobby Ritter and Jason Vogel who each had two hits and scored a run. Ritter doubled to lead off the third and scored on a ground-ball out by Chris Howard. In the sixth, Vogel singled to left field to start the inning and scored the only run of what could have been a big inning, as Sonoma loaded the bases with no one out, only to hit into a double play and strike out.

Cossack shortstop Derek Bell, recently named the CCAA Player of the Year, ended his season appropriately, with a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning.

Chico lefty Carbajal picked up his sixth win without a loss, giving up four runs on nines hits in his 8.2 inning of work. Carbajal did not overpower the Cossack, striking out three, but had good control, walking just one, and recorded the majority of his outs on ground balls. He retired the Cossacks in order five times.

Brian Grover came on in the bottom of the ninth with two runs already across the plate, two outs, and the bases loaded to face the tying run. He recorded the final out and picked up his fifth save of the season when a hard hit liner off the bat of Joe Nouguier was snagged by Chico shortstop Jose Montes.

Cossacks starter Aaron Parker (7-3) lasted just 4.2 innings and gave up 12 hits and all eight Wildcat runs. Sonoma used four relievers, who combined for just four hits, to finish out the game.

Pomona Cruises to First-Round Win in CCAA Tournament

CHICO, Calif.- Cal Poly Pomona belted out 10 runs on 12 hits in a easy first-round victory over No. 1 seed Chico State in game two of the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Baseball Tournament at Nettleton Stadium.

Pomona capped off the game with a six-run eighth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate, racking up five hits, including a grand slam by Anthony Gonzales. The six runs were icing on the cake as Pomona had led since the third inning and held a slim 4-2 lead heading into the eighth.

Cal Poly Pomona, now 31-24, scored one run on an RBi-single by Jeffrey Ellena in the first inning and two more in the top of the third inning. Justin Davis drove in Andre Gomez who led off the third with a hit and Chris Fusillo brought Davis around with a double to left center.

Bronco lefty Andrew Perkins (W 7-4) pitched outstanding, giving up just two runs, one earned, on seven hits and struck out four.

Chico, now 39-10, scored its first run in the bottom of the second on back-to-back hits, a double by Christian Franco and a single by Jose Montes. The only other run for the 'Cats came in the sixth when catcher Jason Cly, who had reached on a triple to center field, came in on a throwing error by the Pomona shortstop.

Pomona added another run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Donnie Furnald to bring in Ellena who had reached on a leadoff double.

The Broncos roughed up Wildcat ace, John-Eric Hernandez (L 10-1), who suffered his first loss of the season and broke a 15-game winning streak, dating back to May 6, 1999. Hernandez lasted six innings, giving up four runs on four hits, struck out seven and walked one.

No. 4 Cal Poly Pomona takes on No. 2 Grand Canyon at 3 p.m. in the winner's bracket game and No. 1 Chico State will battle No. 3 Sonoma State in an elimination game at 11 a.m.

Grand Canyon Wins Game One of CCAA Baseball Championship

CHICO, Calif.- Grand Canyon University's Josh Brack stroked a long single to center field to drive in Blake Woods for the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh to give the 'Lopes a 3-2 victory over Sonoma State in the opening game of the California Collegiate Athletic Association Baseball Championship Tournament.

Grand Canyon, improving to 37-19 this season, got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning when Tyler Beuerlein's double to center field drove in Ronnie Holtorf who led off the frame with a walk.

'Lopes winning pitcher Brian Gerlach (W 9-2) struck out 12 and walked just one in his complete-game effort, giving up seven hits and two earned runs. Gerlach shut out the Cossacks until the fourth inning when Derek Bell doubled to right center and came in to score on Jose Cerda's RBI single to center to tie the game at 2-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, Grand Canyon broke the tie on Erik Johnson's team-leading 14th homer of the season. Johnson tallied two of the 'Lopes six hits in the game.

Sonoma, now 39-22 this season, tied it up for the second time in the top of the sixth when Johnny Pham opened the inning with a single and Tim Wetteland belted a two-out double to left to plate Pham.

Sonoma starter Colin Hayes (L 7-3) pitched seven innings before giving up the game-winning hit to Brack. Hayes gave up three runs on three hits, striking out five and walking six. Jesse Bussard came in to face the 'Lopes in the eighth inning.

Grand Canyon will play in the winner's bracket on Friday at 3:00, facing the winner of the Chico State/Cal Poly Pomona contest later tonight. Sonoma will play in the 11:00 game on Friday against the loser of tonight's game.