Cal Poly Baseball, who are winners in five of their last six games, ride a wave of momentum into the first Big West series of the season against CSU Fullerton Friday, March 7 to Sunday, March 9 at Baggett Stadium.
The Mustangs (6-6) hold a win over then No.1 Texas A&M and have had their offense come alive lately, scoring 50 runs in their last weekend series against Seton Hall. The Titans (4-8) started the season 1-8 but are winners of their last three games heading into the series.
Projected Starters
Friday: RHP Griffin Naess (3.86 ERA, .160 BAA, 15 Ks) vs LHP Mikiah Negrete (1-1, 2.65 ERA, 15 Ks)
Saturday: LHP Josh Volderming (7.98 ERA, 13 Ks) vs RHP Derek Turner (1 GS, 0-1, 4.35 ERA)
Sunday: RHP Ethan Marmie (4.58 ERA, 12 Ks) vs LHP Brady Dockan (1 GS, 0-1, 4.15 ERA)
Friday night should have both staff aces in Naess and Negrete going for their respective teams. Naess has a stellar .160 batting average against and has only given up eight hits on the season. Negrete is the only starter for Fullerton to start in all three of their weekend series and has been an important key in a very influx rotation.
Volderming has turned in a pair of solid starts against Texas A&M and Loyola Marymount, while having trouble in his other two starts. Turner started last Saturday against Wichita State, throwing 3 ⅔ scoreless innings but has also worked out of the pen this season.
It is a similar story when Marmie takes the hill. Marmie has given up three earned runs in his last two starts, totaling 15 ⅔ innings of work. Dockan got the nod for the Titans on Sunday, but struggled in his start.
Both teams have lockdown closers with recent Big West Pitcher of the Week in righty Tanner Sagouspe for Cal Poly and lefty Andrew Wright for Fullerton. Wright has given up just one earned run in 12 ⅓ innings while Sagouspe has no earned runs in his seven innings of work.
Fullerton’s Small Ball Offense
Bunting has fallen out of favor in recent years with the rise of analytics. That doesn’t stop Fullerton, who are third in the entire nation with 14 sacrifice bunts.
Titan infielder Marcos Rosales leads the team in home runs with four. Andrew Kirchner and Matthew Bardowell are slugging above .500, with Kirchner being in the top-20 in the nation with 21 RBIs.
Jack Collins Lightning Quick Start
The former Long Beach State catcher, junior Jack Collins, has gotten off to a quick start to his Mustang career. Collins has eight extra base hits and is hitting just a tick under .400 early in the season.
Collins is replacing Orioles prospect Ryan Stafford, a challenging task both behind the plate and beside it. Through 12 games Collins has proven he is up to the challenge.
Reigning Big West Freshman Field Player of the Year, sophomore third baseman Alejandro Garza only has struck out twice this season, making him one of the most strikeout adverse hitters in the nation.
Senior second baseman Ryan Fenn has been a perfect 3-for-3 on stolen bases this season, and has also been avoiding strikeouts at a high clip with just three in 49 at bats.
Cal Poly opens the Big West conference slate against 4-time national champion CSU Fullerton Friday, March 7 through Sunday, March 9 at Baggett Stadium.