The Cal Poly baseball team (13-14, 1-2) squared off in a non-conference game against Cal State Bakersfield (10-17, 1-2) Tuesday, April 3. The Mustangs took down the Roadrunners 6-0, scoring five runs in the third inning.
Freshman left handed pitcher Matt Arens saw his first start Tuesday night after making ten other appearances as a relief pitcher. Through the first three innings, Arens gave up two hits and zero runs.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Mustangs’ offense caught fire, rallying to score five runs. Sophomore catcher John Mackay, freshman infielder Nick DiCarlo and junior outfielder Alex McKenna loaded the bases with zero outs. Junior infielder Kyle Marinconz hit a single to left field, scoring Dicarlo and Mackay.
With McKenna and Marinconz on base, senior outfielder Colby Barrick hit a single to right field, allowing the runners to score, pushing the Mustangs’ lead to 4-0.
Freshman infielder Tate Samuelson hit a grounder that snuck through to right field, landing him on first.
Bakersfield made a pitching change, swapping out starter Elija Parks with reliever Kevin Altamarino, who immediately walked Myles Emmerson to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed Barrick to score from third before DiCarlo grounded out to end the inning.
Bakersfield swapped Altamarino for reliever Devonte Butler on the mound to start the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fourth, Butler walked Marinconz. Marinconz stole second off a wild pitch and capitalized on Bakersfield’s error at second to send himself to third. Sophomore utility player Bradlee Beesley popped a fly ball to right field and Marinconz tagged up before scoring Cal Poly’s sixth run of the night.
Marinconz’s efforts were key in lifting the Mustangs’ to victory as he scored two runs for Cal Poly and played flawlessly in the field.
Cal Poly sent five pitchers to the mound and came away with a collective 11 strikeouts.
Cal Poly baseball returns to action this weekend for a conference series at Cal State Fullerton. Fullerton won the Big West last season and the team is looking forward to taking them on.
“Honestly, they’re going to be one of the competitors we face,” junior pitcher Cam Schneider. “They have pretty good guys on the mound and in their lineup. It will be a good chance to see where we stack up in conference this year.”