Cal Poly Baseball dropped the finale of a four-game set against Seton Hall on Sunday, March 2, losing by a final of 8-7 at Baggett Stadium.
After winning the series’ first three games, including a doubleheader sweep on Saturday, the Mustangs (5-6) could not quite close out a resilient Pirates (4-7) team.
Cal Poly scored 50 runs in the four games, their highest total in a single series since they scored 53 against Southern Utah in 2003.
10 of those runs were batted in by freshman left fielder Dante Vachini. Cementing himself as the leadoff hitter of a talented Mustangs lineup, Vachini continues to produce with runners on base, adding two more RBI’s in Sunday’s affair.
It was a bullpen game for Cal Poly, with sophomore lefty Caden Pearlman getting the brief start. Five pitchers appeared in the loss, and each gave up at least one run.
Reigning Big West Pitcher of the Week Tanner Sagouspe had his first real hiccup of the season, giving up a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning. After allowing an inherited runner to score and then surrendering two unearned runs of his own, including the homer, the Mustang closer had a dominant top of the ninth inning, striking out the side.
With 11 hits and seven runs, the Mustangs put themselves in a good position to get the series sweep, but shaky defense and below-average results from the pitching staff derailed the effort.
“Today we got really sloppy,” Head Coach Larry Lee said. “I mean, [we] made three errors, and you can’t afford to give anybody extra chances.”
A hungry Seton Hall team capitalized on the extra opportunities gifted by the Cal Poly defense, including a four-run top of the eighth, where none of the runs were earned.
Collins stays hot
Junior catcher Jack Collins continued his hot start at the plate in Sunday’s loss. A transfer from Big West foe Long Beach State, Collins has taken advantage of the starting catcher role, a big hole left by now Baltimore Orioles prospect Ryan Stafford.
Collins went 2-for-4 in the game with two RBIs, matching Vachini’s total with 10 RBIs in the series.
Collins was moved up to the cleanup spot in the order after the UCLA series and has thrived.
“He’s been our best player because of what the catching position means to a baseball team,” Lee said. “He’s moved up to the four-hole and done a real good job.”
For the Mustang backstop, his approach stays the same no matter where he is in the lineup.
“[I’m] just trying to pass the torch to my guys, keep it simple,” Collins said.
Collins has been the most productive Mustang hitter since the beginning of the season and has embraced the culture and team in stride.
“I was welcomed right when I came in here,” Collins said. “It’s been awesome.”
Freshman staples
Vachini and Nate Castellon are the only two true freshmen in the Cal Poly lineup, yet they have been two of the more impressive players thus far.
Castellon tallied two hits in the loss and executed a safety squeeze to perfection to scratch a run across.
Lee has raved about the production he is getting from his two emerging position players.
“Castellon is a high-end defensive shortstop, very smart, very intelligent,” Lee said. “[Vachini’s] been dynamic. I mean, he runs, can steal second, steal third.”
The poise that both freshmen possess, given their lack of experience, has been even more impressive than their stellar play on the field.
“They’re freshmen, but they play like juniors,” Lee said. “There’s no reason to ever take those guys out of the lineup.”
Vachini, Castellon and company will now travel upstate for a mid-week clash with Fresno State. The standalone game will kick off at 5:05 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4 at Beiden Field.