Cal Poly’s baseball season is back in full swing as the Mustangs opened their season last weekend at the College Baseball Classic in Surprise, Arizona. In the four-game tournament, the Mustangs went 1-3 with their only win coming against Gonzaga in their first game.
Cal Poly vs. Gonzaga
Cal Poly rallied for five runs in the ninth inning to tie the game and sophomore infielder Scott Ogrin hit the go-ahead solo home run in the 10th as the Mustangs opened their 2018 baseball season with an 8-7 win last Friday.
In the eighth inning, Gonzaga tacked on four runs, three of which were unearned, to make the score 7-3. The Mustangs started their rally when freshmen infielder Tate Samuelson reached second base on a throwing error. From there, sophomore infielder Dylan Doherty blooped an RBI single, senior outfielder Josh George doubled in two more, and sophomore infielder Bradley Beesley singled in two to tie the game at 7-7.
Freshman relief pitcher Taylor Dollard got out of a jam in the 10th with a called third strike and a double-play ball to end the game to pick up the win for the Mustangs.
Cal Poly vs. New Mexico
The Mustangs found themselves in another extra-inning game on Saturday, but this time they were on the losing end as they fell to New Mexico 3-1 in 10 innings.
Freshman designated hitter Blake Wagenseller gave Cal Poly its only run of the game with a solo home run in the fourth inning. Wagenseller almost hit a second home run in the ninth but was caught on the warning track.
Lobos sophomore pitcher Nathaniel Garley entered the game in the fifth inning and tossed five scoreless innings with one walk and seven strikeouts to pick up the win.
Cal Poly sophomore pitcher Connor Redmond suffered the loss, giving up two runs and two hits over four innings with no walks and five strikeouts.
Cal Poly vs. Oregon State
No. 2 Oregon State dominated Cal Poly from the start with a 20-hit offensive explosion, defeating the Mustangs 16-7. Beavers junior pitcher Bryce Fehmel tossed 6 2/3 innings for the win, allowing four runs on seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
Mustangs junior starting pitcher Bobby Ay suffered the loss, allowing six runs over 2 2/3 innings.
All nine Oregon State starters collectively tallied at least nine hits. Junior outfielder Trevor Larnach led the way for the Beavers, hitting 4-4 at the plate with a home run, two singles, and a double.
Junior Kyle Marinconz and Beesley had solo home runs for the Mustangs in the loss.
Cal Poly vs. Gonzaga
Gonzaga senior outfielder Branson Trube hit the go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning to lift Gonzaga to a 5-4 in the final day of the tournament.
Freshman pitcher Mason Millett picked up the win for the Bulldogs, pitching 2 1/3 scoreless innings with one hit, one walk and a pair of
strikeouts.
Wagenseller’s RBI single gave the Mustangs a 3-2 lead and Marinconz singled in George to give the Mustangs a 4-2 lead in the fifth.
Gonzaga took advantage of two Cal Poly errors to tie the game in the sixth before Trube’s home run.
Mustangs senior pitcher Kyle Smith suffered the loss by allowing the home run to Trube. Freshman right-hander Darren Nelson allowed four runs and six hits over 4 1/3 innings with two walks and three strikeouts.
The Mustangs will next play Arkansas in the Tony Gwynn Legacy on Friday at San Diego State.