The Cal Poly baseball team (8-12) missed its chance at revenge Tuesday, as the Mustangs closed out their nonconference schedule with an extra-inning loss to Pepperdine (13-11).
Even with runners in scoring position in the last four innings, Cal Poly couldn’t find one extra hit to bring home a game-winning run.
Instead, Pepperdine’s Brian Humphries was able to do what Cal Poly couldn’t. Humphries drove in three runs with a bases-loaded triple in the 11th inning, to secure a 7-4 win for the Waves.
Head coach Larry Lee said he knew his team was capable of outperforming Pepperdine, but the team lacked the mental toughness in the late innings.
“We just have to work on the mental side of the game … when we are put into these pressure situations,” Lee said. “Baseball’s a very mental game, and your better performers in sports are guys who are in the moment, not worried about the past or future.”
It was a familiar story for the Mustangs, which faced Pepperdine last week, and gave up an early 3-1 lead. The Mustangs were unable to capitalize with runners in scoring position down the stretch.
Second baseman Denver Chavez got things going early with a single in his first at-bat, and designated hitter DJ Gentile drove him in to give Cal Poly an early 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Pepperdine responded in the top of the second. After starting pitcher Joey Wagman walked the first two batters, a bunt by Joe Sever set up Torrey Jacoby to drive in the tying run with a ground-out.
The Mustangs regained the lead in the third after center fielder Bobby Crocker was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Waves’ Alex Najera. Right fielder Mitch Haniger brought Crocker home on a ground out, putting Cal Poly up 2-1.
Cal Poly continued to take advantage of Pepperdine’s errors in the fourth inning, when shortstop J.J. Thompson led the inning off with a double, and came home on a wild pitch.
Pepperdine had a quick answer again, with Jacoby opening up the fifth inning with a double, and later scoring on a sacrifice fly by third basemen Miles Silverstein.
After pitching 5 1/3 innings, striking out two and giving up two runs, Frankie Reed replaced Wagman, early in the sixth with no men on base.
Wagman said while watching the rest of the game from the bench, he saw his team fight to finish the game with a victory.
“We battled the entire game,” Wagman said. “Whoever was on the mound was battling, and whoever was up to bat was battling. We are in the middle of a tough stretch right now and didn’t want another tough loss.”
After striking out his first batter, Reed gave up back-to-back hits and Pepperdine tied the game at 3-3. Then, in the seventh, Eugene Wright replaced Reed and the Waves regained the lead with another pair of hits.
This time Cal Poly responded. Crocker led off the seventh with a double, and after advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt from Chavez, was driven home with a sacrifice fly from Gentile.
Closer Jeff Johnson came in for Cal Poly in the eighth and only gave up one hit over three innings. Johnson lowered his ERA to 0.66 on the season over 13.2 innings, while striking out 19 batters.
But with Johnson holding Pepperdine at bay, Cal Poly was missing potential game-winning opportunities. In the last four innings the Mustangs left eight men on base, including a bases-loaded ninth inning with only one out. This season, Cal Poly is 2-20 with bases loaded.
Crocker, who went 1-for-3 in the game, with a stolen base and two runs, said the team had opportunities to win and it’s critical for them to execute.
“I think it’s a matter of taking pressure and accepting it and being confident within yourself,” Crocker said. “I do think we have that type of makeup on the team. We just need to see it on the field.”
After Johnson came out in the 11th, pitcher Chase Johnson gave up a single to Sever, who advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and fielder’s choice. Loading the bags with two unintentional walks brought up left-handed Brian Humphries for Pepperdine.
Another pitching change was made, bringing in left-handed pitcher Kyle Anderson, who had a .195 opponent batting average versus lefty hitters. After putting up two strikes on Humphries, Anderson barely missed the inside and outside of the strike zone on his next two pitches.
With two outs, Humphries sent a triple over Haniger’s head in right field, bringing in three runs and earning the win over Cal Poly.
With this loss behind them, the Mustangs will advance to conference play. The Mustangs now look to putting a sub-par nonconference record behind them, and moving forward to the Big West with a clean slate.
“We know it’s going to be different, (conference games) start Friday,” Wagman said. “The nonconference games are behind us as well. It’s a clean slate and we’re going to come out with a lot more fire.”
Cal Poly will open its conference schedule this Friday against UC Riverside in Baggett Stadium at 6 p.m.