Mustang News Staff Report
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March 29-30: Cal Poly Softball hosts Cal State Northridge in the Big West Conference home opener
Currently sporting a record of 16-11 as of March 20, the Cal Poly softball team will begin conference play on March 29 as the Mustangs host the Cal State Northridge Matadors.
Leading the Mustangs will be Sierra Hyland, a true freshman from Visalia, Calif. Hyland has dominated in her first year on the bump for the Mustangs thus far, as she has compiled a 6-0 record on the mound, struck out a total of 45 hitters and recorded a 0.56 earned run average (ERA). Hyland has also earned a pair of Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week awards. Earlier this season, she allowed just three runs in 37.1 innings pitched, and most recently, Hyland matched her career-high strikeouts with 12 in Cal Poly’s victory over Santa Clara.
Two games will be played on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., and the final game will be held on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.
April 17-19: Cal Poly Baseball hosts Cal State Fullerton
Cal Poly will host defending Big West Conference champion Cal State Fullerton in a three-game series at Baggett Stadium on April 17-19.
And if baseball alone is not enough incentive to cheer on Cal Poly in the most anticipated matchup of the year, the No. 8 Cal Poly baseball team earned its highest ranking since the inception of the program.
The Mustangs have migrated to the top 10 in four of the five major NCAA Division I baseball polls released on March 17. Perfect Game ranked Cal Poly at No. 6, Baseball America at No. 7 and both Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association at No. 10.
Last season, the Titans — before winning the Big West Conference title — won two of the three game series against the Mustangs at Baggett Stadium.
April 12 and 19: Both the men and women’s tennis programs will host rival UC Santa Barbara
The men’s team will host the Gauchos in its final home series of the 2014 regular season. Dealing with the departure of Andre Dome because of graduation, head coach Nick Carless will try to lead his team as they fight for a third Big West Conference title. First serve is set for 1 p.m. on April 19.
The women’s team looks to end a struggling season on a positive note as it plays rival UC Santa Barbara a weekend prior — on April 12 at 12 p.m. at the Cal Poly tennis courts.
May 3: Track and field hosts UC Santa Barbara Dual Meet
Cal Poly’s Chris Frias was recently announced as the Big West Conference’s Men’s Track Athlete of the Week when he won the 3,000-meter race at the Mustangs’ season-opening dual meet against Fresno State — the third best time in Cal Poly history. The Mustangs and Gauchos will square off starting at 11 a.m.
Jefferson P. Nolan contributed to this article.