Wildcats look to continue their road success in Grand Junction

By Mike Baca

 

     Fresh off their road series win against the reigning West Region champion San Bernardino Coyotes, the Wildcats head to Grand Junction, Colorado to take on perrenial power Colorado Mesa.

     This once-heated rivalry has simmered over the years after Mesa left the West Region to play Division-II baseball in the South Central Region. The Wildcats and Mavericks have played some thrilling post-season and regular season games and they will renew acquaintances this weekend in the rockies.

     The two teams met last year and the Wildcats took two-of-three from Mesa at The Nett. It was their first match-up since 2009 when the Wildcats lost three-of-four regular season games in Grand Junction. 

     The post-season match-ups have been epic. In 2005 the Sergio Romo-led Mavericks hosted the West Regional and after both teams won their opening games, they played in one of the more memorable contests in Chico State Wildcat baseball history.

    Despite being the home team, Mesa was designated as the visitors in the head-to-head match-up. The Mavericks took a 5-1 lead in front of a thunderous home crowd at Suplizio Field. But, Chico would rally for three runs in the bottom of the 7th and two more in the 8th to take a 6-5 lead headed to the 9th. Mesa would tie it with a solo home run, setting the stage for one of the biggest home runs in Wildcat history.

     Mired in post-season slump, Chico State first baseman Ryan Martin would come to the plate leading off the bottom of the 9th and blasting a solo home run setting off a wild celebration. Chico would beat Western Oregon the next day and punch thier ticket to Montgomery, Alabama and Division-II College World Series.

     In 2007 the two teams met in the West Regional again. This time in an elimination game. Chico held a late lead before Mesa rallied to beat the Wildcats ending Chico's attempt at making a fourth straight trip to the D-II World Series. 

     In the years that followed Mesa has made four trips to the Division II College World Series (last being in 2019) under their long time head coach Chris Hanks. They are  a national power and play in one of the best ballparks in the country, the newly refurbished Suplizio Field. The ballpark seats 10-thousand fans and in 2012 the ballpark underwent 8-point-3 million dollars in renovations.

     Chico State leads the all-time season series 9-7. The two teams are slated to play a four-game series at Nettleton Stadium in February 2025

     You can hear the four-game series on KpaySports 1290 & 102.9 FM as well as the KpaySports app on Friday at 4:45pm with the first pitch at 5pm