CHICO – The Chico High baseball team experienced the joy of winning a Northern Section title, various come-from-behind victories and wins over their crosstown rival, and rolled an 11-game win streak into the CIF NorCal Playoffs.
But, while the heat relentlessly beat down on Skip McDonald Field on Tuesday afternoon, the magic that’s been powering the Panthers all year evaporated as No. 2-seeded Chico fell 9-3 to No. 6 seed Acalanes of Lafayette. Chico’s loss, its first defeat since April 14, dealt the Panthers an early exit from the CIF NorCal Division II playoffs.
“This is the first group that I’ve had for two years so you get to know them more and figure out what makes them tick and how they grind on the baseball field,” said Chico head coach Brian Thomas. “This season was really special because you get to know them so much. It makes it so much harder when you have to say goodbye to them.”
The Panthers threatened to score in the first inning when Jaden Neugebauer and Jaxxon Tweedt both reached on infield singles. But Dons starting pitcher Branson Smith pulled off two pickoff plays to clear the bases and end the inning.
Panthers starting pitcher Carter Miles was lights out from the start. He struck out eight Dons, four of them looking, through four innings.
Acalanes scored first when Ando Butner reached on a two-out base hit then scored on an RBI double from James Stadt. Miles got out of the inning when he got No. 3 hitter Keegan Goddard to strike out swinging on a ball in the dirt.
“I was definitely a little amped up,” Miles said. “Even if I make a bad pitch, even if a walk happens, my defense, my catcher Ryan (Heym) is just going to throw someone out. It’s just really easy to pitch with a good catcher.”
But the fifth inning spelled trouble for the Panthers. Acalanes No. 9 hitter Dom Patitucci drew a leadoff walk. Next up, Butner took advantage of a hanging slider and sent it over the left centerfield wall for a two-run home run.
Senior Jaden Neugebauer took the mound in relief of Miles, but Acalanes continued to do damage.
A couple of hit batsmen, a two-run double and a sacrifice fly resulted in an eight-run inning for Alcalanes.
“The kid put a good swing on it,” Thomas said. “And when he hit that home run, things kind of fell back a little bit. Guys were on their heels, and it took us a while to overcome the moment.”
Chico High shortstop Jaden Neugebauer fields the ball and throws to first base for the out during the CIF NorCal Division II playoff game against Acalanes on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at Skip McDonald Field in Chico, California. (Ben Mota/All Axis Sports)
Chico catcher Ryan Heym, left, consoles starting pitcher Carter Miles, right, on the mound during the CIF NorCal Division II baseball playoff game against Acalanes on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at Skip McDonald Field in Chico, California. (Ben Mota/All Axis Sports)
Chico High’s Jaden Neugebauer, right, dives for second base but is tagged out by Acalanes’ Tyler Winkles, left, in the final inning of the CIF NorCal Division II playoffs on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at Skip McDonald Field in Chico, California. (Ben Mota/All Axis Sports)
Chico High senior Luke Henderson, right, hugs Panthers’ head coach Brian Thomas, left, after Chico lost 9-3 to Acalanes in the CIF NorCal Division II playoffs on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at Skip McDonald Field in Chico, California. (Ben Mota/All Axis Sports)
Chico High’s Jorden Neugebauer hits a two-run single in the fifth inning during the CIF NorCal Division II playoff game against Acalanes on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at Skip McDonald Field in Chico, California. (Ben Mota/All Axis Sports)
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Chico High shortstop Jaden Neugebauer fields the ball and throws to first base for the out during the CIF NorCal Division II playoff game against Acalanes on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at Skip McDonald Field in Chico, California. (Ben Mota/All Axis Sports)
Chico answered in the bottom half of the fifth with two runs. Heym led off with a high bouncing ball up the middle for a base hit. Then Jaden Neugebauer reached on an error. That set up Jorden Neugebauer’s hard-hit ground ball up the middle that brought in two runs, trimming the deficit to 9-2.
In the seventh inning, the Panthers made one final charge to keep their season alive. Alex Schukei drew a leadoff walk. Jaden Neugebauer launched a deep fly ball to the right field wall but Acalanes’ right fielder threw a dart into second base, getting Neugebauer. With Schukei at third, Jorden Neugebauer lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield to make it 9-3.
Then with two outs, Luke Henderson’s fly ball to center wasn’t deep enough, resulting in an out to end the game.
“There were a lot of close games that we won and they just never gave up,” Thomas said. “That is a testament to their character at the end there. They weren’t going to just go away. And we were trying to find ways, even though we were trailing by seven runs. They weren’t going to go down without a fight.”
Eleven seniors will graduate from Chico High on Friday. The Panthers will have a few core pieces returning next season including sophomores Ryan Heym and Vinny Boatwright, freshman standout hitter Jaxxon Tweedt and Tuesday’s leading hitter Jorden Neugebauer. Thomas said a silver lining from Tuesday’s loss is that it will likely motivate the returning players next year.
“There’s always an opportunity to learn when you face tremendous adversity. When you lose in a 28-1 season and you end early, it’s hard to swallow,” Thomas said. “But if you could carry that with you into the next year and find ways to win games, that growth could come out of the frustration.”
Originally Published: June 3, 2025 at 1:28 PM PDT