Mustang News Staff Report
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Bottom 1st, 0-0: Sophomore second baseman Mark Mathias led things off with a base hit, but was soon caught stealing. Junior right fielder Nick Torres drew a two-out walk, but his patience was wasted when sophomore designated hitter Brian Mundell bounced out to end the inning.
Top 2nd, 5-0 Pepperdine: The Waves drew first blood when Zandona loaded the bases on a trio of hits and walked in Pepperdine’s No. 9 hitter. The Waves followed with two more base hits, lengthening the lead and prompting Zandona’s departure from the game. Cal Poly’s pitching options were already questionable, so having junior reliever Taylor Chris enter in the second inning likely wasn’t in the game plan.
Bottom 2nd, 5-0 Pepperdine: Senior third basemen Jimmy Allen’s seeing-eye single was the only hit in an otherwise quiet inning for Cal Poly.
Top 3rd, 5-0 Pepperdine: Chris got a much-needed 1-2-3 inning for the Mustangs. It’s pretty windy at Baggett Stadium this evening — senior left fielder Tim Wise has battled a few tough fly balls already.
Bottom 3rd, 5-1 Pepperdine: The Mustangs notched two consecutive singles and moved both runners over on a picture-perfect sacrifice bunt from Wise. Torres followed with a sacrifice fly, putting Cal Poly on the board for the first time all night. The Mustangs need to play small ball to get back in this ballgame.
Top 4th, 5-1 Pepperdine: Another perfect inning for Chris. It looks like head coach Larry Lee will stick with the southpaw as long as possible.
Bottom 4th, 5-2 Pepperdine: Allen connected on a solo home run to left field. Wind or no wind, that was clutch. The Mustangs continue to chip away.
Top 5th, 6-2 Pepperdine: The Waves answer back with a double down the left field line, a sac bunt and a fielder’s choice. Pepperdine’s definitely not going to make it easy for Cal Poly to come back.
Bottom 5th, 6-3 Pepperdine: Fifth inning almost identically mirrors the third. Schuknecht and Mathias lead off with singles, Wise follows with a sac bunt and Torres racks up another RBI. Another inning, another run for the Mustangs.
Top 6th, 6-3 Pepperdine: Defensively, junior Jordan Ellis comes off the bench to play center field, replacing Wise in the lineup. Junior Zack Zehner slides over to left field. On the mound, Chris keeps things in check. No damage done by Pepperdine.
Bottom 6th, 6-3 Pepperdine: A throwing error by Pepperdine and a base hit from sophomore shortstop Peter Van Gansen put two men on for Schuknecht, who couldn’t come through with the clutch hit. That’s the first time the Mustangs haven’t scored since the second inning.
Top 7th, 6-3 Pepperdine: Chris — with another 1-2-3 frame — has tossed 51 pitches in his five innings. Zandona fired 53 pitches in 1.2 innings.
Bottom 7th, 6-4 Pepperdine: Torres takes a page out of Allen’s book and sends a solo home run over the left field wall. It’s 6-4 Pepperdine, and this game is definitely coming down to the late innings.
Top 8th, 6-4 Pepperdine: Chris runs into a little trouble after a single and a bunt puts a Pepperdine runner on third base with two outs. Chris intentionally walks a red-hot second baseman Hutton Moyer and ends the threat with a swing-through strikeout.
Bottom 8th, 6-6: Two back-to-back hits from Zehner and Allen bring senior catcher Chris Hoo to the plate with no outs. After a Pepperdine pitching change, Hoo lays down Cal Poly’s third sac bunt of the game. Van Gansen connects on a base hit, bringing Zehner around to score. Schuknecht beats out the fielder’s choice. Allen crosses home. Tie ballgame.
Top 9th, 10-6 Pepperdine: Two infield hits put two men on with none out. Chris loads the bases with no outs. Pepperdine right fielder Bryan Langlois sends a bases-clearing triple into the right-center field gap. The Waves now lead 9-6. Chris gets one more out and is replaced by junior Reed Reilly, who allows a sacrifice fly before striking out Aaron Barnett. 10-6 Waves.
Bottom 9th, 10-6 Pepperdine: Torres leads off with a single. Mundell follows with a sacrifice fly. One out. Zehner barely beats out the latter end of a double play. Two outs. Allen flies out to left. Ballgame.
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After edging out a 6-5 victory over Sacramento State in an elimination game this afternoon, Cal Poly will face Pepperdine at 6:05 p.m. at Baggett Stadium. The Mustangs need to win to force a regional-deciding game tomorrow while a victory for Pepperdine will clinch a berth into the Super Regionals for the Waves.
Junior Danny Zandona will take the hill for Cal Poly, marking only his fourth start of the season. Pepperdine sends right-hander Jackon McClelland — an eight game-winner during the regular season — to the mound.
The Waves — still unbeaten in the San Luis Obispo Regional — took advantage of Cal Poly’s defensive miscues in the winner’s bracket matchup last night, giving Pepperdine the 2-1 season series advantage.
We’ll continue to update this post throughout the game with photos, scores and tweets.