CHICO, Calif. -- After trailing 8-0, the Sonoma State baseball team made things interesting late, scoring a run in the sixth and five runs in the seventh to pull within two runs at 8-6, but host Chico State scored twice in the bottom half of the seventh to put the game away, as the Seawolves lost 10-6 in the series opener Friday night at Nettleton Stadium in Chico.

Sonoma fell to 15-22 overall and dropped into fourth place in the CCAA North Division with a 13-13 mark against conference opponents.  The Wildcats, meanwhile, improved to 26-13, 16-11 CCAA.

Matthew Richards led the way offensively for the Seawolves Friday night, going 2 for 5 with a double, home run and three runs batted in, and Daniel Caresio went 2 for 2 with three walks.  Haydon Turpin was tagged with the loss, allowing eight runs (six earned) on nine hits and two walks in just 2.2 innings of work.

Sonoma State and Chico State are back at it on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at Noon.