SAN MARCOS, Calif. — Stan State dropped the opener of its four-game CCAA series at Cal State San Marcos, falling 13-4 on Friday afternoon at Dennis A. Pugh Field.
The Warriors moved to 15-15 overall and 6-7 in conference play, while Cal State San Marcos improved to 18-6 overall and 5-4 in the CCAA.
Cal State San Marcos set the tone early, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning and adding single runs in the third and fifth to build a 5-0 lead.
PJ Wendler improved to 6-0 on the season for the Cougars, allowing just one run over 6.0 innings. Stan State starter Austin Balentine (5-3) went 5.0 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits while striking out four.
The Warriors got on the board in the sixth inning when Bradley Morris hit a solo home run to left field to cut the deficit to 5-1.
The Cougars answered with three runs in the sixth and added four more in the seventh to extend the lead to 12-4.
Stan State responded in the seventh inning. Eric Perez drew a leadoff walk before Evan Fanconi hit a two-run home run. AJ Carter later scored on a sacrifice fly by Chris Ortiz after a Lewis double moved runners into scoring position.
Cal State San Marcos added one more run in the eighth to account for the final margin.
Zach Lewis led Stan State offensively, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a stolen base, including his CCAA-leading 12th double of the season. Morris and Fanconi each homered, while Stan State finished with seven hits. The Cougars totaled 20 hits in the contest.
CCAA Standings
With Friday's results, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Monterey Bay sit atop the CCAA standings with matching .667 winning percentages, followed by Cal State San Bernardino at 7-5 (.583). Cal State San Marcos and Cal State East Bay are tied at 5-4 (.556), while Stan State sits in sixth at 6-7 (.462). Cal State LA follows at 5-7 (.417), with Chico State and Cal State Dominguez Hills rounding out the standings at 4-8 (.333). With two conference games still scheduled for Friday night—Chico State at Cal State LA and Cal State Dominguez Hills at Cal Poly Pomona—the standings remain fluid heading into the remainder of the weekend. The top five teams at the end of the regular season on May 2 will advance to the CCAA Baseball Championship Tournament, set for May 6–9 in San Bernardino.
Up Next
Stan State continues its four-game CCAA series at Cal State San Marcos with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., followed by the finale on Sunday at 11 a.m.
After a week off, Stan State returns to action on the road at Cal State San Bernardino for a four-game set beginning Friday, April 10 at 3 p.m. at Fiscalini Field, which will also serve as the site of the 2026 CCAA Baseball Championship Tournament. The series continues with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 11 at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., and concludes on Sunday, April 12 at 11 a.m.
The Warriors then return home to host Chico State beginning Friday, April 17 at 6 p.m., followed by a Saturday doubleheader (1 p.m. and 4 p.m.) and a Sunday finale at 12 p.m.
Stan State continues its homestand the following weekend, hosting Cal State Dominguez Hills beginning Friday, April 24 at 6 p.m. in Turlock, with a Saturday doubleheader on April 25 at 1 p.m. and the series finale on Sunday. Friday's opener will be Blue Chip Sports Sponsorship Night, while Sunday will be Senior Day with pregame recognition scheduled for approximately 11:30 a.m.
Stan State will close out the regular season on the road at Cal State Monterey Bay from April 30 through May 2 in Seaside.
All CCAA games will be available on FloCollege with live stats provided, while Stan State home games will also be broadcast on Blue Chip Broadcasting with Bryan Nelson on the call.
