Mustang News Staff Report
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Days after its first series win against Pacific, the Cal Poly baseball team was unable to defeat San Jose State following another error-filled game.
In the second inning, the Spartans took advantage of a two-out error and scored four runs on their way to a 5-2 victory.
An infield error and a line drive off of senior third baseman Tommy Pluschkell’s glove loaded the bases, which were subsequently cleared by a triple off the bat of San Jose State’s Andre Mercurio.
Errors leading to unearned runs have been a theme for the Mustangs this season, especially early on. They seemed to smooth things out over the past weekend, but the woes returned. As a team, Cal Poly has committed 23 errors in 13 games, many of which have led to unearned runs.
Cal Poly was able to put runs on the board in the fourth and sixth innings, but only one apiece.
San Jose State limited the Mustangs to just six hits, quieting an offense that put up 31 runs in the past weekend.
Junior designated hitter Mark Mathias was the only Mustang with multiple hits, tallying a single and a double, bringing his batting average up to .407.
Senior outfielder Zack Zehner and sophomore outfielder Kevin Morgan batted in the two Cal Poly runs. Zehner leads the Mustangs with 16 RBIs on the season.
Freshman starter Jarred Zill picked up the loss, giving up four hits and four runs — none of which were earned — in three innings of work.
Cal Poly (4-9) has not started the season the way it would have liked, but it will get a chance to right the ship this weekend. The Mustangs return to Baggett Stadium to face Sacramento State in a four-game series. After the series against TCU earlier in the season was cancelled due to snow, a Thursday game was added to the series against the Hornets.
The Mustangs’ schedule gets no easier from here on. After the Sacramento State series, Cal Poly will host a three-game series against No. 14 USC before going on the road for series against No. 30 Oregon State and Big West powerhouse Cal State Fullerton.
The opening game against Sacramento State (8-6) is set to begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday.