Mustang News Staff Report
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Top-seeded Cal Poly takes on No. 4 Sacramento State in the second game of the San Luis Obispo Regional at Bagget Stadium tonight. The Mustangs (45-10) are fresh off their first-ever Big West Conference title, while the Hornets are making their inaugural Division I postseason appearance.
We’ll continue to update this post throughout the game with photos, scores and tweets.
Bottom 1st, 0-0: Despite a two-out double from sophomore right fielder Nick Torres, the Mustangs went down quietly in the first inning. Sophomore designated hitter Brian Mundell sent a hard grounder up the middle, but Sacramento State shortstop Scotty Burcham made a diving save to end the threat.
Top 2nd, 0-0: Imhof retired the side in order.
Bottom 2nd, 1-0 Cal Poly: Junior left fielder Zack Zehner hopped on the first pitch he saw in the second inning, smacking a triple off the center field wall. Third baseman Jimmy Allen followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to give Cal Poly a 1-0 lead.
Top 3rd, 1-0 Cal Poly: Imhof surrendered his first hit of the night — a one-out double to Sacramento State’s No. 9 hitter — but worked his way out of the inning with a little help from his defense.
Bottom 3rd, 2-0 Cal Poly: First baseman John Schuknecht led off the third with seeing-eye single and scored soon after on a double from sophomore second baseman Mark Mathias, putting Cal Poly up by two runs.
Top 4th, 2-0 Cal Poly: Imohf allowed only one baserunner in an otherwise perfect inning. He tossed 53 pitches through four innings.
Bottom 4th, 4-0 Cal Poly: Schuknecht was a few feet short of a two-run home run. Instead, he settled for a two-out RBI triple off the wall and Mathias beat out an infield single later in the inning to score Schuknecht and give Cal Poly a 4-0 lead.
Top 5th, 4-0 Cal Poly: Imhof sailed through his second 1-2-3 inning of the night.
Bottom 5th, 4-0 Cal Poly: The Mustangs went down in order.
Top 6th, 4-0 Cal Poly: Another smooth inning for Imhof, who notched two strikeouts and finished the frame with 79 pitches on the night.
Bottom 6th, 4-0 Cal Poly: Schuknecht almost recorded his second RBI and third run of the night, but his 340-foot bomb over the left field fence was just a hair foul. He popped out later in the at-bat, leaving a runner on base to end the inning.
Top 7th, 4-0 Cal Poly: Imhof needed only nine pitches to retire the Hornets in order.
Bottom 7th, 4-0 Cal Poly: Junior center fielder Jordan Ellis reached base for the first time on the night. He stole two bags but was stranded on third base when Mundell struck out swinging.
Top 8th, 4-2 Cal Poly: Imhof worked his way into a no-outs, bases-loaded jam, walking the leadoff hitter and giving up two consecutive hits. He got the double play but surrendered the Hornets’ first run of the night. Head coach Larry Lee made the pitching change with two outs and brought in junior reliever Reed Reilly. An error by Allen on Reilly’s first pitch brought another run to the plate, making it a two-run ballgame.
Bottom 8th, 4-2 Cal Poly: The Mustangs were retired in order for the second time.
Top 9, 4-2 Cal Poly: Reilly made quick work of the Hornets and secured a 4-2 win for Cal Poly.