Cal Poly freshman pitcher Joey Wagman allowed one run through six innings to push the Mustangs (2-2) past Pepperdine (2-2) by the score of 12-4 Tuesday.
Cal Poly’s starting rotation has been consistent through four games; so have the relievers. The starters have a combined 2.82 ERA while the relievers’ ERA is 24.78. The starters have given up three fewer earned runs (8) despite notching 17.6 more innings than their counterparts coming out of the pen in four games.
Left fielder Bobby Crocker carried the offensive load for the Mustangs, scoring six runs on three hits, highlighted by a three-run bomb in the fourth inning. Sophomore second baseman Matt Jensen drove in three runs on two hits and freshman right fielder Mitch Haniger scored four runs on three singles.
It took the Mustangs three innings to get on the board. They cashed in on one of Pepperdine’s four errors when Jensen hit a two-run double after Pepperdine pitcher Alex Najera threw a ground ball away.
Cal Poly added four more in the fourth after two singles, a walk and a Crocker’s three-run homer to open the lead up to 7-0.
Pepperdine’s offense sputtered until the fifth inning. The Waves managed three singles to push a run across the plate. Wagman found himself in trouble with the bases loaded and two out. It took him four pitches to strike out Pepperdine hitter Aaron Gates and get out of the jam. Wagman retired the side in order with a 10-pitch sixth inning after Cal Poly added two more runs in the top half of the sixth.
Cal Poly ran into some trouble in the home half of the eighth inning when Tommy Erlin came in to relieve DJ Mauldin, despite retiring four out of five batters. Erlin gave up a double to the first batter he faced and was immediately yanked. Reliver Jeff Johnson didn’t do any better, giving up a double and two-run home run as the lead narrowed, 10-4.
Pepperdine’s top hitters were left fielder Tyler Brubaker who hit a two-run homer, catcher Nate Johnson and second baseman Joe Sever who both had two hits.
Najera, a freshman southpaw, gave up seven runs and seven hits in four innings with two walks.
Cal Poly will play a three-game non-conference series at the University of San Francisco (1-2) this weekend.