ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – Sonoma State opened their 2018 conference play with CCAA-rival Chico State Friday afternoon but fell to their opponent at home by a final of 5-1. Seawolf starter Dominic Gariahan put in six innings of work, allowing just two runs, keeping his opponent close, but Sonoma State was unable to work their way back into the game before Chico added a trio of runs in the late innings.
 
Wildcat right-fielder Kyle Blakeman paced his team with a 3 for 5 day, scoring thrice and driving in his lone run in the first inning. With one out in the top of the first, Blakeman turned on a pitch, drilling it to left-center for the first run of the game.
 
Blakeman again found himself in the middle of action in the third as he led off the frame with a double down the left field line. A walk and a sac bunt later, the Wildcats had put two runners in scoring position with one out, before subsequently driving in Blakeman on a Casey Henderson groundout.
 
The Seawolves finally broke their goose egg in the bottom of the sixth thanks to third baseman Joshua Lenney. Following a one-out single to right and a stolen base by Bryce Nagata, Lenny came to the plate looking for a two-out RBI. The junior transfer tracked a pitch that he lined down the chalk in left, driving in Nagata to pull back within a single run.
 
However, Chico State pitcher, Casey Costello limited the damage, striking out the next batter and shutting down the Seawolves over the next inning.
 
The Wildcats added a run in the seventh on an RBI single and before Alex DeVito hit a two-run homer to left in the final frame, to open their margin to four runs. However, the Seawolves were given a prime opportunity with their last ups to make a late comeback attempt.
 
Dan Beavers, who entered the game in the eighth, promptly loaded the bases in the ninth with no outs. Grant St. Martin worked a lead-off walk, Daniel Hawkins was hit by a pitch and pinch hitter Zach Guardino took four out of the zone, before Anthony Baleto was called in to take over on the mound. Baleto worked out of the bases-loaded no-out jam, inducing a pop-up to second and striking out the final two batters of the game to notch his first save of the season.
 
With the loss, Sonoma State falls to 4-3 and opens conference play 0-1. The Seawolves and Wildcats will return to Seawolf Diamond tomorrow for games two and three of their four-game weekend series. First pitch is slated for 11am.