Cal Poly baseball was 1-15 when its opponent scores at least 10 runs coming into the series finale against Long Beach State at Baggett Stadium Sunday. Staring down a 13-11 deficit in the bottom of the 10th inning, history predicts a Mustang defeat — right?
Shortstop J.J. Thompson (3-for-4) hasn’t checked the stat sheet lately. Thompson kept Cal Poly hopes alive with a no-doubter home run over the left field wall. Two batters later, center fielder Adam Melker (2-for-4, with two RBIs and a homer) launched a double that popped out of Long Beach (20-20, 7-8 Big West) left fielder Jonathon Jones’ glove as he attempted a leaping grab on the warning track.
Senior outfielder Luke Yoder described the next series of events the best.
“It’s the game of baseball; you never know what’s going to happen, you just got to continue to fight,” said Yoder, who went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a homer.
With one out and a runner on second, Bobby Crocker hit a deep fly ball to right center, seemingly enough to advance Melker to third — if he had timed his run correctly. Melker was forced to retouch second base after he tagged up too early; despite the miscue, shortstop Lohman Devin overthrew third base and no one backed up the throw. The ball landed in Cal Poly’s dugout, allowing the tying run to score on the error.
When asked if the baseball gods just happened to be smiling on a Cal Poly team that has struggled mightily this season, relief pitcher Frankie Reed said, “Definitely, I think so.”
Cal Poly’s Mark DeVincenzi took the mound in the 11th after surrendering two earned runs in the previous inning. Despite tallying two quick outs, he hit a rough patch after walking the third batter and surrendering three subsequent hits. With a 15-13 deficit and the bases loaded, DeVincenzi notched a clutch strike out to stop the bleeding.
“We had a slightly different approach pitching wise,” said head coach Larry Lee regarding this series. “We did a better job of not letting the game get out of hand and stayed within striking distance. As long as you are within a swing of the bat to tie the ballgame, you still have to feel good about yourself.”
But it wasn’t only a swing of the bat that continued the comeback.
After a single and a double by David Van Ostrand (3-for-5) and Jordan Hadlock (3-for-6) respectively, catcher Ross Brayton struckout. Denver Chavez hit an RBI groundout to set the table for Thompson, who was seeking retribution after a costly error in the earlier half of the inning.
“I was trying to hit one out of the park,” Thompson said bluntly. “I hate making errors and letting the team down like that. I was a little pissed off still.”
Little did he know he wouldn’t have to swing. The first pitch was a wild pitch that allowed Hadlock to score from third. Thompson ended up drawing a seven-pitch walk.
Next, it was Yoder’s chance.
He hit a sharp groundball to shortstop that ricochet off the infielder’s glove into short center field. Thompson scored all the way from first and was soon mobbed by his teammates, who achieved their first weekend series win after 10 weeks of competition. Some teammates said they finally got the monkey off their back.
“It’s a feeling unlike any other, just have the whole team playing together and leaving a team on the field,” Thompson said. “There’s nothing better in baseball.”
Cal Poly (12-27, 5-10 Big West) might not have a realistic shot at a conference championship (Cal State Fullerton, 12-4 in Big West play, sits atop the conference) but Yoder said this win is an indispensable boost of team morale.
“They wanted us to win our first series,” he said. “It’s a great feeling; yea it is May but who cares. We still have a month left in season, you can string together some winning streaks here and there … make it a better season than what it has been.”
How did Cal Poly find itself in an extra-inning crunch? A stretched Cal Poly bullpen blew the save in the ninth inning. Reed gave up a two-run double after notching four-plus innings in relief of starting pitcher Eugene Wright who went 3 1/3 innings, surrendering seven earned runs, five walks and seven hits.
“I hadn’t (pitched that long) in forever; my arm definitely got tired,” he said.
Lee was forced two stick with his two relievers because of a short-staffed and overworked bullpen, he said. But he noted that the team was picking each other up when the defense or offense hit a rough patch. Thompson agreed.
“We’re all pulling for each other,” Thompson said. “We had new mentality going into the series, team morale was a lot better. People were picking each other up and doing whatever they can do get a win. I think that was lacking (before).”
The game showcased six hours of play, four lead changes, nine pitchers, 38 hits and 31 runs. Seven Cal Poly players had at least two hits and a RBI.
“The second best thing about this game aside from the comeback, I thank god it’s a day game,” ESPN 1280 announcer Tom Barket joked after the marathon game.
Cal Poly lost the first game of the series 12-8 and won the second 8-4.
Cal Poly will play Fresno State at Fresno Tuesday at 6 p.m.