Don’t call it a comeback.
The Mustangs may be out of playoff contention, but that doesn’t mean they are giving up hope for the remainder of the season.
After keeping each game against UC Irvine last weekend close, Cal Poly has kept its momentum rolling, grabbing an 18-11 win against Loyola Marymount Tuesday afternoon.
With the win, the Mustangs — who have scored more than 10 runs in their past three contests — are victors in five of their last seven games. That streak includes victories against teams like Long Beach State, UC Irvine and Fresno State.
That success carried over against the Lions, but at first, Loyola Marymount held the upper hand.
Loyola Marymount came out with a four-run effort in the first inning highlighted by a two-RBI double to right center by Colton Plaia.
The Mustangs responded with a run in the second inning followed by a Luke Yoder home run and another RBI in third. But, with the Mustangs inching closer, the Loyola Marymount’s Matt Koch hit a two-run home run to left field.
After adding two more runs in the fourth inning, the Mustangs let loose with a seven-run fifth inning.
Loyola Marymount relief pitcher Martin Viramontes came in for starter John Lally, Bobby Crocker tripled to right center and first baseman David Van Ostrand brought him home with a single to left center during the next at bat. Yoder knocked in two more runs with a triple to right center and outfielder Adam Melker capped the rally with two-run bomb of his own.
Relief pitcher Tommy Erlin relieved starter Kyle Anderson with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning to retire the final Lion batter of the frame on a fly ball to center. He pitched the rest of the game for his first collegiate victory. Erlin (1-0) retired the last 10 LMU batters of the game and finished the game with one walk and five strikeouts.
The Mustangs added four more runs in the ninth inning to seal the victory.
Yoder finished the game 4-for-6 with five RBIs and two home runs. He lifted his home run total for the season to 11 — 28 for his career — with his home run in the third inning and a two-run shot in the fourth. He was a double away from becoming the first Mustang to hit for the cycle since Cal Poly made its leap to a Division-I program.
He wasn’t the only Mustang to see success at the plate Tuesday.
Shortstop J.J. Thompson, who went 3-for-6, added two singles and a two-run double while right fielder Bobby Crocker, who went 3-for-4 tripled twice and singled once.
Catcher Jordan Hadlock (2-for-6) contributed two singles and a solo homer, his first as a Mustang, and knocked in a total of three runs while Melker (2-for-5) hit a two-run home run, his fifth of the year, and added a single. Van Ostrand (1-for-6) knocked in three runs with two groundouts and a single.
In total, the Mustangs pounded out 16 hits, producing double digits in hits for the seventh time in their last eight games.
Loyola Marymount tallied 13 hits that included a pair of two-run home runs by catcher Matt Koch.
Starting pitcher Kyle Anderson allowed 10 hits and eight earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. Erlin finished the game with 4 1/3 innings pitched while allowing one earned run. Erlin has allowed just one run in his last 10 1/3 innings over four appearances.
The loss went to Viramontes, who allowed seven runs and five hits, all in the fifth inning. In his previous outing against Saint Mary’s on May 2, Viramontes came within one strike of a no-hitter and settled for a two-hit shutout.
The Mustangs will return to the field when they travel to UC Davis for a three-game conference series this weekend.