Lisa Diaz
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With the game tied at one in the bottom of the third and Cal Poly outfielder Emily Ceccacci on base, freshman pitcher Sierra Hyland stepped up to the plate and shot the ball straight into center field for an RBI double.
Driving in Ceccacci not only gave the Mustangs the lead against Sacramento State in their final game of the Mustang Classic at Bob Janssen Field, but it also gave Hyland the win in the circle.
For some freshmen transitioning to NCAA Division I athletics, this would be a career-defining moment. But it was Hyland’s eighth RBI and sixth win as pitcher for the weekend. Cal Poly won all six games it played while hosting their eighth annual tournament, and Hyland was credited with every single one.
“In high school I’ve done it,” Hyland said about her tournament sweep as pitcher. “But it’s different in college. It’s a different feeling just because of the level that you’re at. It’s a lot more exciting.”
Despite her perfect 6-0 tournament record and 10-3 record this season, Hyland still sees ways she can improve her game.
“The biggest challenge I faced this weekend was not hitting my spots,” Hyland said. “I feel if I would’ve hit my spots, some games wouldn’t have been as close, like they should have been.”
Hyland pitched 37 1/3 innings, striking out 45 and only gave up 16 hits. Cal Poly beat Stony Brook 7-0 and Fairleigh Dickinson 6-0 on Friday, then went on to top Stony Brook 3-1 and Sacramento State 6-1 on Saturday and finished the tournament on Sunday with a 3-2 win over Santa Clara and a 6-2 win over Sacramento State.
“Sierra was great in the circle,” head coach Jenny Condon said. “She got six wins and threw a lot of pitches, but our defense played well. When the ball was put in play, our defense did a good job of taking care of it and really shutting down innings. “
The Mustangs paired their stout defense with timely hitting.
“We really executed and swung at good pitches,” Condon said. “We hit over .300 for the weekend.”
Ceccacci — the final run Hyland drove in — had a dominant weekend at the plate, batting .475.
“I’m seeing the ball really well right now,” Ceccacci said. “Just being positive and relaxed. I’m just trying to keep doing what I’m doing and staying consistent.”
Both team members and coaches attributed the early season success to the good team chemistry.
“We’re getting it done everywhere,” Ceccacci said. “Usually we’ll hit or miss with offense or defense, but right now we’re just all coming together. To be 6-0 at home going into conference and opening up conference at home, it’s a nice feeling right now. We came together as a team and just shut it down.”