Jacob Lauing
jacoblauing.md@gmail.com
Hit after hit and run after run, the Cal Poly Baseball team (23-8, 5-2 Big West Conference) let its play do the talking as it cruised to a series-opening 8-3 victory over Hawaii on Friday night.
After losing two of three to rival UC Santa Barbara last weekend, senior right-hander Joey Wagman tossed his second complete game of the season, and second baseman Denver Chavez collected three hits to boost his batting average to a team-best .406.
“It was a great team win,” Wagman said. “The mentality is: It’s a new weekend. Last weekend has no effect on us. Everyone did a great job tonight.”
Wagman had plenty of reasons to applaud his teammates. After all, the Cal Poly offense put up four runs in the first inning, thanks to a three-run home run from right fielder Nick Torres.
“When the first four guys in the order score in the first inning, that kind of sets the tone,” head coach Larry Lee said. “Wagman threw well and saved our bullpen, which is extremely important. It was good for us.”
It was fairly smooth sailing for Wagman, who allowed only one earned run on eight hits, struck out eight while walking none, and dropped his ERA down to 2.95.
“Always a bulldog,” Chavez said. “Every time he goes out there, he gives us his best. He probably gave up a few hits today, but he battles and doesn’t get rattled.”
Junior Tim Wise made his return to the Cal Poly lineup tonight after missing a couple weeks with a pulled quad.
Wise started the game in left field, shifting Jordan Ellis into center field and a struggling David Armendariz to the bench. Freshman Mark Mathias got his seventh start of the season at first base.
“Time to give some other players some opportunities,” Lee said. “Mathias had a big game. He’s going to continue to get better and better. Ellis had some great jumps, especially on balls in.”
The fresh faces in the starting lineup cashed in at the plate, as Ellis, Wise and Mathias drove in a combined five runs. A resurgent Jimmy Allen went 2 for 3 with two runs and two RBIs on the night.
In the field, however, the Cal Poly defense struggled, as infielders Chavez, Mathias and Allen all recorded errors.
“We want to give the opponent 27 outs,” Lee said. “You don’t want to go beyond that. We gave them too many opportunities because we were not very good on defense tonight.”
After dropping two games to rival UC Santa Barbara last weekend, the Mustangs fell three spots to No. 20 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll and four spots to No. 25 in USA Today/ESSN Coaches poll this week.
The Mustangs entered tonight’s Big West matchup second in the conference behind defending champion Cal State Fullerton.
“Right now, we think of it as a race between us and them,” Chavez said. “We are just trying to win as many games as possible. The key is just to stick with them for the rest of the season.”
The Mustangs will host Santa Clara on April 16 before Cal State Fullerton comes to Baggett Stadium next weekend.
Until then, the Mustangs will finish up this three-game set against Hawaii, starting with game two tomorrow evening.
“Back to the old cliché,” Lee said. “We don’t worry about who we are playing or what’s coming up in the future. We just worry about the next game ahead of us and worry about ourselves.”
First pitch is at 6 p.m.