BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—CSU Bakersfield completed its first Western Athletic Conference sweep of the 2016 season as the Roadrunners defeated Chicgao State 4-2 Sunday afternoon at Hardt Field.

Mahlik Jones drove in the first CSUB run of the game with a two-out single in the bottom of the third. Chicago State (13-39, 6-18 WAC) took their first lead of the series in the top of the fourth. Cody Grosse tripled to lead off the inning and came home on an Andy Gertonson sacrifice fly to center.

Cody Freund singled and advanced to second on a Chris Hipchen infield single. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a Garrett Nimmo wild pitch. Malik Carpenter hit a grounder to Jones at third, he came home and after a short rundown, Freund was tagged out. Julian Russell would fly out to center for the third out to keep the game tied.

Ryan Grotjohn got only his second hit of the year off a left handed pitcher, CSU starter Dillon Engle to start the 'Runner fifth. Junior Felix failed to move Grotjohn with a sac but and took a called third strike for the first out. Dustin Frailey, CSUB's leading hitter tripled into the left center gap to score Grotjohn and return the lead to the Roadrunners. Jones' infield single to short plated Frailey. Jones was picked off first trying to steal second before David Metzgar's strikeout would ended the inning.

Grotjohn's two-out sixth inning single off of Engle chased the Chicago State starter as Chance Gusbeth scored. After giving up seven runs on Saturday night, Joe Baier relieved Engle and struck out Felix to get out of the inning.

The Roadrunners loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth but Grotjohn grounded into a double play to end the opportunity to score more runs. With one out in the ninth, Cody Freund singled and moved to second on a Jones' error at third. Carpenter walked to load the bases. Russell, a .181 hitter coming into the game, drove in a run with a sac fly. Rick Salazar hit the first pitch he saw from Nimmo right back through the box. The ball knocked Nimmo's glove off, but he recovered, picked up the ball and threw to first for the final out.

Nimmo relieved AJ Monarrez to start the second after the CSUB starter left the game due to an undisclosed injury. Nimmo went seven innings, giving up six hits, and struck out four. Grotjohn went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Gusbeth was 2-for-4 as was Jones. Hipchen led all players with three hits (3-for-4).

CSUB (15-34, 9-14 WAC) hosts Cal Poly in the final non-conference game of the regular season Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Tickets are available through the CSUB Ticket Office at (661) 654-BLUE or tickets@csub.edu, or online at Vallitix.com.

~www.GoRunners.com~