TURLOCK — In a well pitched game by both teams, the 9th ranked Chico State Wildcats edged Stanislaus State, 1-0, Friday night to open the CCAA season for both teams.

The Wildcats turned away three Warrior rallies in the final three innings  to squeeze out the series opener win to improve to 5-2, 1-0 CCAA. Stan State is 4-3, 0-1 CCAA as the four-game set continues on Saturday with a Noon game.

Two Stan State pitchers — Joe Ryan and Kevin Hahn — combined for 11 strikeouts and Andrew Wheat went 3-for-3, but ultimately a balk and a grounder decided the game.

In the Chico State seventh, pinch hitter Nick Tingirides singled to left and went to second on a bunt. Then he was awarded third base on a balk — the second called against Ryan — with one out. A slow roller to second off the bat of R.J. Hassey scored Tingirides for what turned out to be the game's only run.

But there were a lot of drama before the final out.

The Warriors had golden opportunities to score in their final three at bats. In the seventh, pinch runner Nathaniel Thompson was gunned-down at the plate to end the inning. In the eighth, with two runners in scoring position, Jack Large struck out. In the ninth, with runners at first and second with one out, two Warriors go down with strikeouts to end the game.

Chico State's Dan Beaver came up huge in the final two innings, fanning three batters in key situations for his third save. Casey Costello, though wasn't as dominate as Ryan, got the win by throwing seven shutout innings. Ryan worked eight innings and struck out nine. He gave up one unfortunate run on four hits.