No. 3 seed Cal Poly takes on No. 2 seed Arizona in regional finals
FINAL: Wildcats 14, Mustangs 0. The regional and season come to an end for Cal Poly. 43-19 is the Mustangs’ final record, a phenomenal season for Coach Lee and the team, making their first regional since 2014, and advancing to the regional finals.
Last chance for the Mustangs, trying to avoid a shutout.
Yet another two-run bomb for Arizona. It’s 14-0 Wildcats here in Eugene. Six home runs for the Wildcats, five of them two-run shots.
Tanner Sagoupse is in for the Mustangs. Freshmen Vinnie Van der Wel and Jake Downing are in the game as well. Both are making their season debuts at the positions they are playing, Van der Wel at catcher, Downing in left field.
Still no runs for Cal Poly through their first eight trips to the plate
The freshman Kalfsbeek escapes the inning without any further damage. Wildcats add two, it’s 12-0.
Another two-run homer for Arizona, and they increase their lead to 12.
Luke Kalfsbeek makes his regional debut, relieving Morano in the seventh.
Cal Poly has three innings to avoid being shut out.
Walton hits his third homer of the day for Arizona, a two-run shot. 10-0 Wildcats.
Arizona’s defense has been phenomenal in both matchups and kept the Mustangs’ offense at bay.
Morano has settled in nicely, posting three scoreless innings in a row. Unfortunately, it might be too little, too late.
Mustangs can’t score Kordic, still scoreless through five innings.
Dylan Kordic gets the first extra-base hit for Cal Poly, a double grounded down the right-field line.
Two straight shutout innings for Morano, who’s back on track against his former school. Cal Poly hitters will search for answers against Arizona starter Smith Bailey.
First shutout inning for Mustangs’ pitching in the third.
Mustangs go down quietly in the third. Josh Morano back out to the mound.
We’re through two innings, Cal Poly will need to find offense, and soon.
Another Arizona homer, 8-0 in the second. A day after hitting eight home runs, they have three already in two innings.
Aaron Walton, Arizona’s centerfielder, just hit his second homer of the night in as many at-bats. 7-0 Wildcats.
Josh Morano enters after Marmie gives up a leadoff single in the second. Morano transferred from Arizona after his freshman season last year and pitched against them Friday as well.
A hit and no runs for Cal Poly in the second. Marmie will head back out for a second inning of work.
Nate Castellon hits a dribbler down the third-base line for Cal Poly’s first hit.
Marmie does just that. Cal Poly is in a hole early, with the season on the line. Their offense will need to perform better than in the first Arizona matchup if they want a chance.
Five-run first inning for the Wildcats. Marmie is trying to escape without any further damage.
Arizona makes it a three-run inning on a wild pitch. Still only one out.
Two batters in and Arizona has a 2-0 lead. A walk leads to a two-run blast off the batter’s eye.
Marmie’s first pitch of the game was 97 miles per hour (!!)
Cal Poly goes down in order in the first, and Ethan Marmie makes his way to the mound.
Game one’s hero Zach Daudet digs into the box, and we are underway in the regional finals!
Ethan Marmie will start for Cal Poly, exactly a week after he started the Big West tournament final against UC Irvine.
About an hour after defeating Utah Valley in walk-off fashion, the Mustangs return to the field to take on the University of Arizona, whom they lost to on Friday, 3-2. If the Mustangs win this game, they will force a second leg of the final on Monday, the time still to be determined. This is the second regional final in program history. The Mustangs lost to Pepperdine in the regional finals in 2014.
No. 3 seed Cal Poly faces No. 4 seed Utah Valley in Mustangs’ second straight win-or-go-home scenario
ZACH DAUDET WINS IT FOR CAL POLY!!! A leadoff home run over the right center wall is his second homer in as many days, and his ninth on the year! An extremely hard-fought game by both sides, but Cal Poly advances to face Arizona in another win-or-go-home game for the Mustangs. 7-6 is the final score, Jake Torres picks up the win to advance to 6-4. See you back at PK Park in about an hour!
Torres responds with his own 1-2-3 inning, top of the lineup coming up for Cal Poly in the bottom of the 11th. Daudet-Fenn-Garza with Murray Jr. to follow. Herman still out there for Utah Valley.
1-2-3 go the Mustangs, Jake Torres comes out for the 11th inning.
Kordic-Collins-Vachini are due up, with the top of the lineup following.
Jack Collins guns down Longo trying to steal second to end the inning. The leadoff walk is stranded as Cal Poly again looks for the walk-off win in the tenth.
Jake Torres comes out for another inning of work.
Herman induces a fly out to center to end the inning. Extra frames will be needed to decide this one, the first of the entire NCAA tournament so far.
A pop fly into right is the second out of the frame, and Rasmussen will go to the lefty Carston Herman to face lefty Cam Hoiland.
A perfect bunt by Garza moves Fenn over to second, Rasmussen will give Murray Jr. the free pass to set the double play back up. Nate Castellon comes up with the game on the line.
Nate Rasmussen will come out and pull Cooper Littledike from the game, a great performance from the Utah Valley closer giving up just three hits and a walk in 4.1 innings of work. He is responsible for the winning run on first in Fenn, Alan Huerta will try and send this game to extras for the Wolverines.
Ryan Fenn leads off the ninth with a single. Alejandro Garza will follow, with Casey Murray Jr. and Nate Castellon after.
Torres induces a three hopper to Ryan Fenn, who collects it and throws over to first to end the inning. Mustangs look for the walk off in the bottom of the ninth, 6-6.
Back-to-back walks by Sagouspe brings out Larry Lee once again. Jake Torres comes out for his third day in a row to try and escape the two out jam with the tie still intact.
Jayden Smith comes up with a runner on third and two outs. With a RBI double already from Smith against Downs, Larry Lee opts to turn to Tanner Sagouspe to try and get out of the inning.
Daudet has to make an acrobatic play on a bunt to get the runner at first, but it does advance the runner to second with one out.
A Texas leaguer into shallow right nabs the Wolverines a leadoff single, Brody Block comes on to pinch run in the ninth.
Cooper Littledike has been dealing ever since coming into the game. 4.1 IP with two hits and a walk. Cal Poly goes down 1-2-3, still knotted at six heading to the ninth.
Downs locks up CJ Colyer for the third out of a 1-2-3 inning. Mustangs bats come back up looking for a go ahead run.
Cam Hoiland’s two out single is all the Mustangs get, still tied at six as we go to the eighth.
Downs gets the next two Wolverines out to end the inning, but Utah Valley does tie it up at 6-6. Stretch time in Eugene with Cal Poly looking to regain the lead.
Utah Valley evens the ledger on a one out double by Jayden Smith, Seth Moir comes out for a chat as Tanner Sagouspe gets active in the Cal Poly bullpen. 6-6 in the seventh.
Daudet draws the leadoff walk, but a tailor-made 6-4-3 double play wipes him off the board. Score remains 6-5 Cal Poly as the game goes to the late innings.
Chris Downs recovers and gets the next three batters out, Cal Poly still holds the advantage as they head to the bottom of the sixth.
After a scoreless frame for the Mustangs, Dominic Longo takes the first offering of the sixth into the Mustangs bullpen. It’s his 11th of the season and it cuts the Wolverine deficit in half 6-5.
Downs collects a flyout on the very next pitch to end the inning, a one out double gets stranded by Utah Valley. Cal Poly looks to add on to their lead.
Garza makes a great play at third base to potentially save a run after a one out double.
Cam Hoiland grounds out to end the inning, but the Mustangs bat around with six hits in the inning and take the lead 6-4.
CASTELLON COMES THROUGH! A hit down the third base line stays just fair and ricochets off the cutoff in foul territory. Its a 2 RBI double for the freshman, five runs on the inning for Cal Poly as Nate Rasmussen takes the long walk to remove Heppner. Cooper Littledike comes on for the Wolverines with the score 6-4 Mustangs.
An infield single by Alejandro Garza and a walk from Casey Murray Jr. loads the bases with two outs.
A balk by Luke Heppner scores Daudet from third and moves Fenn into scoring position. Its a tie game at PK Park as there is movement in the Utah Valley bullpen. 4-4.
Ryan Fenn delivers! A base hit into right scores Vachini and puts runners on the corners with two out. 4-3 Utah Valley.
Jack Collins punches a 3-1 offering through the shift for a one out single, Cal Poly now brings the tying run to the plate.
CAM HOILAND LEAVES THE YARD! Its his second of the regionals and sixth of the season. A leadoff homer starts the fourth off right for Cal Poly. 4-2 Utah Valley.
Dylan Kordic takes a funky route in right, but ultimately secures the final out of the frame. Downs collects two strikeouts as well for a 1-2-3 inning. Cal Poly comes up to bat.
Nothing happening for Cal Poly in the home half of the third, to the middle innings we go with Utah Valley still leading 4-1.
Downs gets a weak grounder to first to send the inning, but the damage is done. The Mustangs look to respond in the bottom of the frame. 4-1 Wolverines.
Chris Downs catches Dominic Longo going early, but the return throw to second is wide. Fenn comes up hobbling a bit but ultimately stays in the game.
Landon Frei lifts off to left field for a grand slam, his 17th homer of the season as Utah Valley jumps ahead 4-1 here in the third.
A looped single into left field loads the bases and that’s going to be it for Luke Kovach. Chris Downs gets the call from the pen as the Mustangs have to turn to the relief corps early.
A pair of walks brings out Seth Moir for a chat, two on and one out in the third. Chris Downs has started to throw in the Mustang bullpen.
And Heppner does get out of it, collecting a strikeout to limit the damage and is pumped up towards his own dugout. Still, Cal Poly holds the advantage in Eugene early. 1-0 Mustangs as we go to the third.
Heppner catches an absolute rocket up the middle by Zach Daudet, saving not only himself but probably two runs from scoring for the moment.
Mustangs strike first! Dante Vachini’s one out double scores Cam Hoiland and sets Cal Poly up with runners on second and third with one out. 1-0 Mustangs.
Luke Kovach strikes out the side, including catching the last two Wolverines window shopping to end the inning.
Cal Poly has some traffic, but Jacob Heppner for Utah Valley is able to get out of the inning unscathed. Still scoreless through one inning of play.
Fenn has a one out single sneak through the 5.5 hole, like Tony Gwynn would do in Fenn’s native San Diego, then swipes his 15th bag of the season to put a runner in scoring position early for Cal Poly.
Utah Valley gets Iverson to third, and ropes a ball down the left field line that hooks foul. Kovach gets a strikeout and a chopper to Ryan Fenn at second base ends the inning with no score.
Kovach delivers the first pitch to Luke Iverson and we are underway in Eugene!
Once more Cal Poly heads to PK Park in Eugene, facing their second straight elimination game as they take on the WAC champions Utah Valley Wolverines. Same lineup for Cal Poly as yesterday, backing lefty Luke Kovach on the hill. The Mustangs are the designated home team, so they will take the field to start with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.
No. 3 seed Cal Poly takes on hosts No. 1 seed Oregon in an elimination contest
MUSTANGS SURVIVE! Cal Poly beats No. 1 seed Oregon 10-8 to stay alive in regional play. They’ll play at 2 p.m. on Sunday against the loser of Arizona and Utah Valley.
Torres strikes out a second! Oregon down to their final out.
Torres K’s the first batter. Two outs to go.
Two runs will have to do as we head to the ninth. Torres trots back out to the mound to extend Cal Poly’s season and end Oregon’s.
ZACH DAUDET ADDS INSURANCE! The Mustangs’ leadoff man clobbers a solo home run out to left center to make it double-digit runs for Cal Poly. 10-8 Mustangs.
KORDIC CANNON! The Mustangs’ right fielder guns a Duck going from first to third and ends the inning, a scoreless one from Torres. Cal Poly will look to add insurance before the ninth.
What a seventh inning. After the Ducks score two, the Mustangs respond with four to take the lead right back. 9-8 Cal Poly as we head to the eighth.
Hoiland gives the Mustangs the lead! He sneaks a single just fair of the first-base bag, and Cal Poly has reclaimed the lead 9-8!
HE’S 4-4 FOLKS! MURRAY JR. DRIVES IN TWO WITH AN RBI SINGLE. WE ARE TIED AT EIGHT!
The Ducks walk in a run. 8-6 Oregon, bases still loaded with one out. Murray Jr. is coming up to bat.
Mustangs have the bases loaded with nobody out, Fenn up.
Morano’s outing is over. Jake Torres will enter to try to keep the Oregon lead from growing.
Oregon goes back-to-back. 8-5.
The Ducks add a solo shot of their own and erase Murray Jr.’s. Oregon is back up by two.
The sixth inning comes to an end, Cal Poly gets one run back. Morano back to the mound for the seventh. 6-5 Ducks.
BOOGIE BOMB! Murray Jr. crushes one to left-center, and the Mustangs are back within one. 6-5 Ducks, still nobody out in the sixth.
Morano gets out of it, but the Mustangs trail for the first time today. The offense has some work to do to pick up the pitching staff.
Oregon takes the lead with a two-run home run. That’ll do it for Volmerding, Josh Morano takes over in the sixth, 6-4 Ducks.
The Ducks get the run right back with a solo shot. We’re starting over again!
Vachini tallies another double, and Fenn cashes him in with a two-out RBI single through the left side. Cal Poly reclaims the lead, 4-3, after five innings.
As PK Park reached deafening levels, the Ducks rewarded the fans with a two-run homer that tied the game at three.
Same deal for the Mustangs. Murray Jr. gets a leadoff single but doesn’t end up advancing. We’re through four innings at PK Park, and the score remains 3-1 Cal Poly.
A one-out single is all the damage the Ducks did in the top of the fourth. Mustangs will come back up looking to add to their lead.
A double and a couple of sacrifices are the contents of a productive inning for Cal Poly. After three innings, it’s 3-1.
A Dante Vachini lead-off double sets up another sacrifice bunt to move Vachini over. On the next pitch, Ryan Fenn smacks one to center for a sacrifice fly. Mustangs get the run right back. 3-1.
Volmerding gets a strikeout to strand two runners and is fired up! Oregon strikes for one run, 2-1 Mustangs.
The Ducks get a run right back and are still threatening with two away.
The inning ends, but not before Cal Poly makes its mark on the scoreboard. 2-0 Cal Poly after two.
DYLAN KORDIC GOES DEEP! A two-out, two-run shot off a lefty makes it 2-0 Mustangs in the second.
After no sacrifice bunts were laid down yesterday, Nate Castellon put one down to advance Murray Jr. into scoring position.
The first hit for the Mustangs comes off the bat of the red-hot Casey Murray Jr., freshly promoted in the lineup.
Another quick inning for Volmerding as he induces three weak flyouts.
Mustangs go down in order as well — scoreless after the first inning.
1-2-3 for Volmerding, including two strikeouts. Mustangs coming up to the plate!
Josh Volmerding takes the mound, and we are underway in Eugene!
Cal Poly faces a hungry Oregon team, which lost in controversial fashion last night at PK Park. It’s a win-or-go-home scenario, with Cal Poly sending out Josh Volmerding and Oregon sending out their ace Grayson Grinsell. A southpaw duel is on deck with one change in the Mustang lineup. Casey Murray Jr., fresh off a two-double performance, hits cleanup today and swaps places with Castellon in the lineup. First pitch soon.
No. 3 seed Cal Poly takes on Big 12 champion No. 2 seed Arizona Wildcats in opener
It is an out at first, and that’s final. 3-2 Arizona despite being out-hit 10-2. Cal Poly turns around in less than 24 hours to face the loser of the other game at noon.
Make it 12 straight as of now. A 5-4-3 double play has potentially ended this game, but Cal Poly will take a look at it.
Pluta has not given up a run since April 1st. That’s 11 straight appearances for him.
1-2-3 inning for Torres brings up potential last at bats this game for Cal Poly. Vachini, Daudet and Fenn are due up for Cal Poly. Tony Pluta, the Wildcats closer, comes on to shut the door. 3-2 Arizona.
Jake Torres relieves Griffin Naess. Seven innings pitched with three runs on two hits and three walks. The three run second inning the only knock on his resume. Its his ninth quality start of the season but he is currently in line for the loss.
Jack Collins barely misses tying the game up in the eighth with a home run. Another one hooks just foul and Hicks gets him to swing through one to end the inning.
Cam Hoiland flashes the opposite field power! Its his fifth homer of the year this time going out to left field, and it brings Cal Poly within one. 3-2 Arizona.
Max Kramkowski’s day is done, its the fourth quality start (6 IP+, less than 3 R) in five games for Arizona. Garrett Hicks comes on for the Wildcats facing Murray, Hoiland and Kordic.
And just like that a 6-4-3 double play ball means Naess gets out of the inning unscathed. Its the second baserunner that Arizona has stranded all day as Naess has largely kept runners off the bases. Two innings for Cal Poly to score at least two runs, still 3-1 Arizona as it goes to the eighth.
Back to back walks from Naess has gotten the Cal Poly bullpen active with Jake Torres getting loose, and brings out Seth Moir for a chat.
A couple of hard hit baseballs are snagged by the Arizona defense, stretch time in Eugene as it is still 3-1 Wildcats.
Naess has sat down 13 in a row, collecting strikeouts three and four on the day. 3-1 Arizona as we head into the late innings.
Jack Collins is hit by a pitch, but thats all the Mustangs can add on. Make it nine left on base for Cal Poly through six innings.
Casey “Boogie” Murray Jr. again leads off an inning with a double, and this time comes around on a single by Dylan Kordic. 3-1 Mustangs with one out in the inning, and action in the Arizona bullpen has started.
Ten in a row retired for Naess, he has settled in nicely since the second frame. Cal Poly looks to break the seal in the sixth.
Cal Poly nabs a pair of hits in the inning, but cant cash in. Thats seven runners left on base by the Mustangs through five innings of offense.
Thats seven straight retired for Naess after Arizona’s two out scoring in the second. Cal Poly has four hits to Arizona’s two, but its the Wildcats that hold the 3-0 advantage as we go to the fifth.
Mustangs load the bases with two outs for Jack Collins, and he nearly takes the lead on a long fly ball to left field. Its hooked foul and Kramkowski catches him looking to escape the jam.
1-2-3 innings for both sides mean its still 3-0 Arizona as the game heads to the middle innings.
Make it 3-0 Arizona, Easton Breyfogle takes it over the right center wall with little doubt about it. Thats all for the Wildcats as it heads to the third.
A two out walk turns into the first run for Arizona, as Murray barely can’t get to Tommy Splaine’s triple. 1-0 Wildcats
Casey Murray Jr.’s leadoff double goes for naught, Naess goes out for his second inning of work.
A pair of one out baserunners for Arizona looks to be trouble but a 6-4-3 double play wipes it off the board as we head to the second inning 0-0.
Cal Poly Baseball travels to Tracktown USA, Eugene Oregon. A couple members of the Cal Poly Track and Field team will be here in the middle of June for the NCAA Track and Field championships, but it’s Baseball’s turn to shine at the University of Oregon. RHP Griffin Naess will get the ball against RHP Owen Kramkowski. Cal Poly is the designated away team so they will get first ups at PK Park in just a moment.