SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Senior Clinton Perez's first career walk-off home run couldn't have come at a better time. The Cal State San Marcos baseball team prevented a series sweep with a 10-8 victory over No. 22 Chico State in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play on Sunday afternoon at CSUSM Baseball Field.
 
With one out and senior Jon Putnam on first after drawing a walk, Perez sent the first pitch he faced over the left center wall to give the Cougars their first win over a NCAA Division II nationally-ranked team in program history.
 
With the win, the Cougars improve to 16-18 overall and 8-14 in conference action. The CCAA North Division leading Wildcats fall to 23-7, 13-5 CCAA.
 
"It was an important win for us because yesterday's second game was one we thought we should have won," said head coach Dennis Pugh. "We played really hard all weekend against a team that is probably the best in the league. It goes to show you that we can play with anyone. In this game, we put up six in the sixth inning and it showed that we could come back."
 
The Cougars scored 10 runs on ten hits with Perez and sophomore Tyler Place each recording a pair of hits. Chico State tallied 14 hits including four doubles and a solo home run by pinch hitter Jimbo Pernetti.
 
The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first frame after recording two doubles and two singles.
 
CSUSM evened the game after posting single runs in the bottom of the first and second innings. Senior L.A. Gamo drew a walk to begin the inning and then scored on Place's bunt single that Chico State's pitcher threw into right field.
 
For the second consecutive inning, CSUSM's leadoff batter reached first on a walk. Perez advanced to second on a groundout and scored on junior Ross Lemmel's single to left center to even the game at 2-2.
 
Chico State broke the tie with a run in the top of the third inning before adding another run in the fifth and three more in the sixth to take a 7-2 lead.
 
The Cougars batted around in the bottom of the sixth, recording six runs to take an 8-7 lead. Bentson got things started with a single through the left side and advanced to third on sophomore Austin Ott's double to the right field corner. Putnam drew a walk to load the bases. Perez ripped one through the left side to score Bentson. Sophomore Collin Dvorak sent one up the middle that took a bad hop past a diving Wildcat shortstop that resulted in a 2-RBI double. Freshman Tyler Ankrom hit into a fielder's choice for the first out of the inning. Pinch hitter Jake Trybulski took the first pitch he saw to the left field corner, recording a RBI double for CSUSM's fourth run of the inning. Gamo once again drew a walk to load the bases. Place laid down a perfect drag bunt down the first base line for a RBI single. Bentson, who started off the inning, sent the ball deep to right center field for a sacrifice fly to put CSUSM back in the lead at 8-7.
 
The Wildcats evened the game at 8-8 in the top of the eighth inning on Pernetti's solo shot over the right field wall.
 
Both starters got no decisions with senior Manny Barragan going 5 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs – four earned – on nine hits and Chico State's Dalton Erb relinquishing five runs on five hits in five innings.
 
The two pitchers who got the decisions in yesterday's nightcap once again picked them up in Sunday's game. This time, junior Hayden Weir (4-2) took home the win after giving up just one hit in one inning of work. Chico State's Steven Baker (3-1) recorded the loss after  Perez's two-run walk-off blast.
 
Chico State's Ben Gamba and Dillion Kelley each registered three hits and two RBIs in the contest.
 
The Cougars travel to San Francisco State next weekend for a three-game series.