AZUSA, Calif. – Momentum was crucial for both California Baptist University and Chico State in the first elimination game of the NCAA Division II West Regional on Friday afternoon at Azusa Pacific.

The Lancers got all of it early and never let it go against the top-seeded Wildcats – the second-ranked team in all of D-II. Senior Brian Ruhm, who homered twice in the game, provided the exclamation mark on CBU's hot start with a second-inning grand slam to lead fifth-seeded and 15^th-ranked CBU to a 14-2 win. 

Andrew Bash turned in another lengthy and valuable start for CBU's pitching staff, logging the first nine-inning game of his life for the complete-game victory. The redshirt freshman held Chico State well below its season average of 6.9 runs a game, allowing just seven hits and two walks and striking out four in nine innings.

"I just thought a lot of it came down to the tone Andrew set and the big swing Brian got," Coach Gary Adcock said. "As soon as you get up 5-0, it's hard to play from behind in an elimination game and Andrew kept filling it up. We got some breaks early and kept tacking on runs."

CBU moves on in the playoffs, with a 35-17 record, and will play again Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Cougar Baseball Complex against a team to be determined. After winning the California Collegiate Athletic Association regular season and tournament championships, Chico State's historic season ends at 45-11.

"I would like to congratulate Chico State on a phenomenal year, I've been on the other end of that where you have a record-breaking year, you do a special thing, you win the league and it just doesn't go your way," Adcock said. "I know exactly how they feel right now. I thought we got all the breaks early and made our own breaks yet, but that's a tremendous team. I know they don't want to hear that today, but what they accomplished this year was great."

Luke Navigato and Ryan Williams both went 3-for-4 in the game, with Williams logging five runs batted in and two runs scored. John Glenn (three runs, two RBIs), Nick Plaia and Ruhm (five RBIs, two runs) each went 2-for-5 to contribute to CBU's 14 hits on Friday.

CBU's fast start had Chico reeling after it lost its first-round game Thursday to Cal Poly Pomona, 8-7, in 10 innings.

"We felt scoring first was key," Adcock said, "CPP and Chico State last night was such an emotional rollercoaster and a great game, and whoever came out of that, the opportunity to get on them early was what we needed to do."

A leadoff single from Navigato in the bottom of the first inning set the tone for the Lancers, and they built on that with a five-run second. Two errors sandwiched around a Williams single loaded the bases with no outs.

Ruhm delivered the big blow of the game, swinging on the first pitch and blasting a no-doubt grand slam into the netting in right field. It was clear Ruhm's home run calmed the nerves of an offense that may have felt some nerves in its last two to three games.

After Ruhm's homer, a walk to Sheldon Borson led to an RBI double from Navigato to give CBU a quick 5-0 lead in the second.

"I was able to get a good swing and maybe show the younger guys a senior who's been struggling all year can still stay relaxed and get good swings," Ruhm said. "An early swing from me produced swings from them later. It got us the momentum, which was huge."

CBU was far from done and scored four more runs in the fourth. Ruhm led off the inning with a 1-2 line-drive homer into right center.

"I'm proud of Brian, obviously if he hits two home runs you're proud of him but it's beyond that, what Brian's done this year and how he's grinded is phenomenal," Adcock said. "I am happy he's here with us, gets to experience this and has a chance to play tomorrow. We wouldn't be here today without what Brian did."

A one-out single from Navigato and hit by pitch to Bryce Macy kept the inning alive. Glenn brought home Navigato with a grounder to second base and Williams hit a two-run single to make it a 9-0 game.

Williams padded the lead again in the sixth with a moon-shot homer to left field to plate Tommy Bell (hit by pitch) and Glenn (single).

The Lancers' offensive display continued in the bottom of the eighth. Bell was walked to leadoff the inning and Glenn doubled to center to score Bell, and a two-out RBI single from Plaia ended the scoring at 14-2 after a two-run homer from Chico in the seventh.   

Bash never let up, the right-hander worked quickly in the first two innings and was also aided by three double plays.

"The mindset was just throw strikes, I knew the defense was going to help me out, and the offense came up big, too," Bash said. "I was relaxed, I wasn't too pumped up or overwhelmed, I just stay relaxed the whole game and worked."

The Wildcats could never figure him out and were retired in order in the first, fourth and ninth. Bash faced the minimum in the second and sixth innings, thanks to double plays.

"[Bash] was able to rest the bullpen, he and Andrew Bernstein have been good and I mean good the last 15 games or so," Adcock said. "They've upped their game and given us a chance each time."

No matter who the Lancers face next, their mission remains the same the rest of the way.

"At this point and time, get to the next game is really all the focus is on. We have a unique opportunity to eliminate four teams from this tournament and that's what we're going to try to do."