POMONA, Calif. – In the series slotted as the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series of the week, the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos and the Chico State Wildcats split the opening twin bill.
 
The two squads will return to action on Sunday with a 12 p.m. start at Scolinos Field. The contest will be the series finale for the division-leading pair. With the split, the North Division leading Wildcats now hold an overall mark of 25-12 on the season, complete with a 15-10 mark in conference play.
 
CPP remains at the helm of the CCAA South Division as the squad has amassed a 15-9 conference tally en route to a season record of 23-13.
 
GAME ONE: CPP 9 – Chico 2
 
The first game of the day featured a matchup of Michael Koval of the Broncos and the Wildcats' Clayton Gelfand. Koval secured the win in the contest and improved his season mark to 6-2. The junior righty dealt for eight innings of three-hit ball. In his showing the Chico squad managed to score just one run. Koval struck out four and walked none.
 
Bronco bats were alive in the contest as they posted 11 hits. Jason Padlo was the Player of the Game for CPP as he went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored.
 
In the first inning, the Broncos scored as Jared James crossed home on a wild pitch by the Wildcats' starter. In the next half inning, the visitors answered back with a single to shortstop that allowed for a runner to score from third.
 
Come to inning four, and the Broncos' catcher Cody Martin doubled to left center and scored Daniel Pitts. In the fifth, CPP added a couple of safety runs as Padlo tripled to score James, then Caleb Romo hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Padlo.
 
With inning No. 6, four more Bronco runs came. To lead off the scoring plays, Nicholas Bruno reached on a fielder's choice suicide squeeze. Ryan Webberley scored on the play. Then Jacob Bernardy doubled down the left field line and scored Cody Martin. Finally Padlo tallied two more RBIs with a single through the right side that scored both Bernardy and Bruno.
 
The Green and Gold's final run came in the seventh as Bruno singled to second base and allowed enough time for a pinch running Matt Reynoso to score, pulling CPP's score in the game up to nine.
 
Chico would score once more with a sacrifice fly in the ninth and the game would reach its final conclusion with a score of 9-2.
 
GAME TWO: Chico 13 – CPP 5
 
The second game of the doubleheader went the visitor's way. Max Bethell started on the bump for the Green and Gold and unfortunately drew the loss with a 4.1 inning eight run showing. The loss drops Bethell to 5-4 on the season. Earning the win in the game was the Wildcats' reliever AJ Epstein.
 
Bronco bats remained alive in the contest, but 13 hits and five runs was not enough to topple the Wildcats. Caleb Romo was CPP's Player of the Game as he cranked a homerun in each of his first two at bats.
 
Chico posted five runs in the second inning to take a quick lead on the hometown Broncos. A pair of doubles, a bases loaded walk, and a single through the left side were enough to do the deed.
 
Romo answered back for the Broncos in the bottom half of the inning as he lined his third homerun of the season over the left field fence. CPP managed to bat around the lineup by the next inning and in the third with Nic Hernandez on base, Romo launched another line drive over the left field fence, securing homerun No. 4.
 
The Broncos posted another run in the fourth as Bernardy doubled down the left field line and scored Bruno. In the fifth, a triple, fielding error, and double added three more runs to the Wildcats' resume for the game.
 
With a pinch-hit bases loaded at bat, Michael Zidek reached safely on a fielder's choice as he beat out a double play. Scoring on the play was Romo.
 
The final innings saw the Chico squad post five more runs to give the game its final tally of 13-5.