Mustangs look to use offseason to advantage

Cal Poly head baseball coach Larry Lee knew his Mustangs had one of the toughest schedules in the country heading into the season.

Even after finishing with the program’s fewest wins since 1999, though, and his worst winning percentage as a head coach since 1989, Lee doesn’t regret taking on the challenging slate, the ninth-toughest schedule in the country according to BoydsWorld.

Baseball looks to end season on positive note

In nearly every game this season, things have looked good for the Cal Poly baseball team at one point or another. Then the Mustangs gave up leads – 23 times, to be exact, over the course of their 30 losses, which have rendered their season-ending series at UC Riverside without playoff implications.

Poly duo eliminated at national championships

Not being able to capitalize on break-point opportunities cost Brittany Blalock and Steffi Wong on Thursday, as the Cal Poly women’s tennis doubles tandem was eliminated from the national championships.

Blalock and Wong, Cal Poly’s first doubles team to compete in the tournament, fell in the first round to Texas’ Marija Milic and Vanja Corovic, 6-4, 6-4 at the Michael D.

When the NBA just isn't enough

Kobe, Schmobe.

Celtics, Schmeltics.

This column is siding with Tim Donaghy, the ex-referee convicted on felony gambling charges – including betting on games in which he officiated – and goes on the record accusing the NBA of conspiracy charges.

How else do you explain the Chicago Bulls, a city and team deprived of star power since his Airness stepped away after the ’98 season, landing the first pick in the upcoming draft with only a 1.

Mustangs end season on a grand slam

Junior third baseman Brent Morel broke a 7-7 tie in the 10th inning by blasting a grand slam down the left-field line to carry the Cal Poly baseball team to a 12-7 win in its season finale at UC Riverside on Sunday afternoon.

Mendes tries cagefighting

Chad Mendes has always been a fighter. Now, instead of fighting on a mat, he’ll do it in a cage.

For Mendes, who said Tuesday he’d signed a contract to pursue mixed martial arts, the transition from a one-loss Cal Poly wrestler to World Extreme Cagefighter may not be too extreme, after all.

Sports clubs reach out to students

Representatives from Cal Poly’s various club sports will be out recruiting for their programs during University Union hour today.

“It’s not going to be fancy; there won’t be any booths or tables – just representatives from clubs handing out flyers and talking to anybody interested,” said biomedical engineering senior Phil Chang, who organized the event.

Mendes, Day are honored athletes

One by one, team by team, several Cal Poly athletes stood and were applauded.

Then, all of them rose in unison to acknowledge two of their peers – Chad Mendes and Sharon Day – two whose achievements would stand out in any crowd.

Both were named Cal Poly’s 2007-08 Athletes of the Year at the annual Night of the Mustang banquet and awards ceremony Tuesday night at Embassy Suites.

Blalock, Wong to compete nationally

Cal Poly women’s tennis will experience a first Thursday when sophomores Brittany Blalock and Steffi Wong begin doubles competition at the NCAA Championships in Tulsa, Okla. Blalock and Wong will take on Texas’ Marija Milic and Vanja Corovic, slotted No. 23 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings.

Grad runs for hope, diseased children

Childhood disease and orphanhood can be a daunting problem for those looking to make a difference. For one Cal Poly graduate, the solution was simple – run like the wind.

Tim Borland, a former Cal Poly triathlon runner and kinesiology alumnus with a gift for extreme physical endurance and selfless spirit, has touched the lives of thousands of children and families worldwide.

Kline makes Olympic trials in 400 I.M.

Cal Poly’s Peter Kline qualified Friday at the Santa Clara International Meet for the Olympic trials in the 400-meter individual medley.

In prelims, the freshman from Fresno – who entered ranked 28th with a mark of 4 minutes, 35.77 seconds – touched the wall in 4:30.