Ryan ChartrandSarah Iwata and Robyn Kontra went out in style.
The two seniors led the Cal Poly softball team to a 5-2 victory over UC Riverside during its Senior Day and season finale Saturday afternoon at Bob Janssen Field.
Iwata drove in the pivotal runs to put the Mustangs ahead, and Kontra scattered just five hits in a complete-game effort.
Cal Poly guaranteed itself a third-place finish in the Big West Conference after claiming the series 2-1.
Trailing 2-1 in the fifth inning, the Mustangs (24-22, 12-9) were able to load the bases, as Jessica Rogers singled, Brandi Gutierrez reached on an error at second base and Melissa Pura was hit by a pitch.
In her final collegiate at-bat, Iwata proceeded to single through the left side to plate Rogers before Gutierrez came home on a fielding error.
Stephanie Tam rounded out the scoring by singling through the right side in the sixth to drive in Rogers and Stephanie Correia.
Kontra (8-1), who gave up just one hit after the second inning, walked none throughout and retired the last 11 Highlanders she faced.
UC Riverside established a 2-0 advantage in the second frame on a home run by Katie Curtis.
It didn’t stay intact long, however, as the Mustangs responded an inning later when Tam scored Rogers with a sacrifice fly.
Rogers scored a career-high three times and was 2 for 3.
Iwata, a three-time all-conference member who also went 2 for 3, finished her career as one of just two Mustangs with more than 100 hits, 100 RBI and 100 runs.
Kontra, a three-time All-Big West honoree herself, accomplished some history in her own right, finishing second in Cal Poly history in wins (52) and shutouts (18), and third in strikeouts (288).
Christin Songer (10-11) surrendered seven hits while suffering the loss, which came after the Highlanders won Friday’s doubleheader opener 8-0 but fell in the nightcap 1-0.
The Mustangs, who won their fifth consecutive series against UC Riverside (19-37, 5-16), finished in the Big West’s top three for the fourth year in a row, but were not selected for postseason play when the field of 64 was released Sunday evening.