In 2025, Cal Poly Baseball surpassed all expectations, finishing as Big West champions with a stellar 43-19 record and runner-up at the Eugene Regional in the NCAA Baseball Championship bracket. A little more than seven months after their 2025 campaign concluded, the Mustangs traveled to Buies Creek, North Carolina, to begin a new season against the Campbell University Camels on Friday.
For the second straight year, the Mustangs (0-1) dropped the season opener, losing 5-2 on Friday afternoon. Cal Poly, who lead NCAA Division I in hits last year, could not string together an adequate rally against the Camels’ (1-0) pitching staff.
D1 Baseball’s preseason Big West Player of the Year, junior third baseman Alejandro Garza, had two of the team’s seven hits and the only extra base hit, a double. Senior center fielder Casey Murray Jr. also tallied a pair of hits, while catcher Ryan Tayman recorded his first hit as a Mustang after transferring from Cal.
Cal Poly’s lineup featured many familiar faces from last year and was able to internally fill holes left by departing players, with Tayman the exception. The right side of the infield is now occupied by first baseman Braxton Thomas and second baseman Jake Downing, who take over for Zach Daudet and Ryan Fenn, Cal Poly’s first two hitters for most of last season.
Mustang ace Griffin Naess once again got the ball on opening day and was solid, allowing two runs over five innings. The Camels ran Naess’ pitch-count up early, forcing the righthander to throw over 30 pitches in the first inning. With the season just beginning, pitchers are typically on a pitch count, which led to Naess departing after 89 pitches.
Left-hander Chris Downs was the first name called out of the Mustangs bullpen and went two innings, allowing three runs (one earned).
Cal Poly committed two errors on the day, something they did not do much of in 2025 when they finished ninth in Division I with a fielding percentage of .981. Both errors came in a three-run sixth inning for the Camels, who were able to make the most of the mistakes.
Early-season hiccups are expected, but Cal Poly must capitalize on a non-conference schedule that’s far less daunting than last year’s slate, which featured future College World Series team UCLA and then-No. 1 Texas A&M.
Cal Poly will have two more chances against Campbell, both coming in a Saturday doubleheader.