Cal Poly Baseball concluded the long weekend with a stand-alone game against Loyola Marymount University (LMU), winning by a score of 9-1, on Monday, Feb. 17 at Page Stadium.
The Mustangs (1-3) got their first win of the season decisively and had a much-needed offensive explosion to take down the Lions (3-1).
An offensive outburst seemed inevitable and necessary for a team that scored just four runs in their first three games before the team takes on the best opponent they will face all year in No. 1 ranked Texas A&M next weekend.
This game also served as a nice bounce-back for a pitching staff that had as rough of a two-game stretch as the Mustangs. Especially for freshmen pitchers Troy Cooper and Luke Kalfsbeek, both of whose debuts were spoiled by the scorching UCLA offense.
Cooper and Kalfsbeek pitched the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, giving up zero runs.
Another freshman who has turned heads to start is starting shortstop Nate Castellon. Castellon takes over at shortstop for Aaron Casillas, who finished up his tenure with the Mustangs last season.
Castellon has eased right into the starting job, and although the bat has not yet gotten going, his defense looks mature beyond his years. With sophomore third-baseman Alejandro Garza and Castellon on the left side of the infield, the Mustangs have much to look forward to this year and beyond.
Sophomore pitcher Josh Volmerding got his second start in three days, operating in an ‘opener’ role, going three scoreless innings in this one after pitching one inning in Saturday’s blowout loss.
With the bullpen needing to cover six innings, five pitchers relieved Volmdering, with sophomore Reece Bueno being the only reliever to go two innings.
The Lions took the lead in the fourth inning, but the Mustangs put the game to bed with nine unanswered runs, including five in the fifth inning and three in the sixth inning.
Eight out of the nine hitters in the batting order recorded a hit, amounting to 13 hits total.
Garza had his first multi-hit game of the season, going 3-for-4. Junior catcher Jack Collins, who has been the most productive Mustang hitter thus far, was moved up in the lineup to clean up and continued his success by adding two more hits.
Cal Poly will look to make a statement when they travel to College Station, Texas, to take on the No. 1 ranked Texas A&M Aggies in a series that kicks off on Friday, Feb 21 at Blue Bell Park.