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Cal Poly takes on No. 1 seed UC Santa Barbara in Big West heavyweight matchup
M2: The score is 1-1 here at Cicerone Field as Turnquist trots back onto the field.
Top-2: Extra bases for Gavin Spiridonoff as he lines a double down the left field line. Cam Hoiland grounds a single into left, and runners are on the corners with one away. Safety squeeze! Dante Vachini lays a bunt down to knot the score at one.
End-1: A big double play limits further damage. 1-0 ‘Chos after 1 inning.
Bottom-1: Steady diet of mid-90’s heaters to the Gauchos leadoff man, and Turnquist has his first strikeout of the afternoon. Turnquist walks and hits the next two batters, and play has stopped while the mound gets tended to. First run of the game comes in from a bases-loaded walk. Turnquist has walked three and hit one after the leadoff hitter.
Mid-1: Cal Poly leaves two runners stranded. Turnquist makes his way to the mound.
First baserunner of the day comes courtesy of a Dylan Kordic four-pitch walk. Ryan Tayman collects the first hit of the day with a single to left—two runners on for the Mustangs with two gone in the first.
And we’re off! Nate Castellon digs in to start the game and promptly flies out to right field.
Same lineup as yesterday for Cal Poly: Castellon – SS, Garza – 3B, Kordic – RF, Tayman – C, Murray Jr. – CF, Downing – 2B, Spiridonoff – 1B, Hoiland – DH, Vachini – LF
Carson Turnquist (7-2, 3.55 ERA) gets the start for Cal Poly, while Calvin Proskey (0-0, 1.99 ERA) will man the rubber for UCSB.
It’s day two here at Cicerone Field in Irvine, and the Mustangs are set to take on the No. 1 seed UC Santa Barbara Gauchos with a spot in the Big West Tournament Championship on the line.
Cal Poly Starts Big West Tournament journey against No. 3 seed UC San Diego
FINAL: Widelski pinch hit in the eighth inning, and with two runners on in the ninth rockets one into the left-center gap that is hawked down by Dante Vachini to end the game. Mustangs win a barn-burner pitching duel 1-0. Naess earns the win to move to 3-4 and Nick Bonn collects his 13th save. See you back at Cicerone Field at 1 p.m. as Cal Poly takes on UC Santa Barbara to advance to the Big West Championship game.
T9: A one out single has turned into a scary situation for Cal Poly, a pickoff bounces off the pinch runner and skips away from Spiridonoff at first. Runner on third and one out for UCSD.
E8: Kordic reaches but is stuck at first base. Murdock threw 134 pitches, gave up three hits and is currently lined up for the loss. Bonn is on to slam the door in the ninth for Cal Poly.
M8: The greatest chance for either side is snuffed out by Bonn, who induces a groundout to Castellon as Cal Poly walks the tightrope. Still 1-0 as the Mustangs have at least one more chance to tack on more runs. Steele Murdock is also going to see the eighth inning for the Tritons.
T8: Another walk from Griffin Naess will spell the end of his night. What a start from the ace of the staff. He is responsible for all three runners but gave the Mustangs 7 2/3rd innings and gave up just two hits, much needed if the tournament becomes a marathon for a second straight year. Big West save leader Nick Bonn is on to try to escape the jam.
T8: Did you expect there to be no drama? The Tritons have gotten two runners on with two outs. Nick Bonn has started to fire in the bullpen, but Larry Lee is electing to stick with his starter to get out the Tritons three hitter Gabe Camacho.
E7: Steele Murdock has beared down and shut down the Mustang bats. In a little bit of a surprise Griffin Naess makes his way out for the eighth. He has been dealing but he is also over 100 pitches.
M7: The two out error doesn’t bite the Mustangs, as Naess racks up his 11th strikeout on what is maybe his final pitch in the game. Stretch time at Cicerone Field, Mustangs still holding onto the 1-0 advantage.
T7: Two quick outs, but an error puts the tying run on. Brady Estes is firing the Mustang pen, and the Tritons have double barrel action going on. Both starting pitchers are over 100 pitches and don’t seem long for this game.
E6: This is a great watch for the neutrals who love pitching duels, maybe not so for the fans of the Tritons and Mustangs. One swing could either double the lead or tie the game, it has gotten a little bit nervy in the ball park. 1-0 as we head into the seventh inning.
M6: First real driven contact by UC San Diego, but its straight at Dylan Kordic in right to end the frame. Naess has put up much needed blanks in the UCSD line score, the Mustang offense has mustered just the one run in the second despite opportunities to tack on more.
E5: The movement remains pretty slow, as the Mustangs go down 1-2-3 in the fifth. One thing to note here at Cicerone Field as the sun sets behind the skyline, the lights are on but are seeming to struggle to take effect. Something to watch as the game gets into the late frames.
M5: Halfway home in Irvine, Naess gets two more strikeouts to bring his total to eight on the night. Murdock has mostly done his part in quieting the Mustang bats, but as he comes out to start the fifth there starts to be some movement down in the Tritons bullpen.
E4: Murdock looked dominant in that frame, two strikeouts and a pop out make quick work of the Mustangs.
M4: A two out walk for the Tritons doesn’t matter as the next batter flies out to end the inning. Naess has six strikeouts and just one walk and hit on his ledger through four innings of work.
E3: After the early frames its 1-0 Mustangs. Cal Poly has had a runner on every inning, but only has the one run to show for it.
M3: Naess has started to roll, with two strikeouts in the third to get back in the dugout. Thats five in the game so far.
E2: Alejandro Garza battles but is unable to extend the inning. Still, Mustangs get one early on Murdock and the Tritons.
B2: Nate Castellon delivers! A full count offering is dribbled into no mans land between the pitcher and third baseman, Downing races in from third to make it 1-0 Mustangs.
B2: Now its the Mustangs who have traffic, two straight four-pitch walks from Murdock have two on and no outs. A sacrifice bunt makes it two runners in scoring position and one out as Dante Vachini digs in.
M2: Naess wiggles his way out of a critical jam early. A Tritons sacrifice bunt gets both runners in scoring position, but Naess induces a shallow flyout then gets the next batter to go fishing to end it.
T2: Tritons are threatening early, an infield single and hit by pitch has two runners on and no outs.
E1: A pair of two out Mustang hits goes for naught, still 0-0 at Cicerone Field.
M1: Griffin Naess racks up two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 first inning. Mustangs get their first crack at Steele Murdock.
Lineups have been announced, the anthem sung and warmup tosses completed. Griffin Naess fires a first pitch strike to leadoff hitter Anthony Potestio and we are off in Irvine!
Starting Lineup for the Mustangs, pretty standard one to open the tournament vs RHP Murdock: Castellon – SS, Garza – 3B, Kordic – RF, Tayman – C, Murray Jr. – CF, Downing – 2B, Spiridonoff – 1B, Hoiland – DH, Vachini – LF
Greetings from Irvine! 2026 Big West Co-Champions Cal Poly are set to defend their Big West Tournament crown yet again as the second seed. Its a tough opening draw for the Mustangs, as they face off against the Tritons and ace Steele Murdock. Against Cal Poly Murdock struggled, giving up six runs over 4 1/3 innings of work. The start before that however, he punched out 17 Gaucho hitters, out-dueling Jackson Flora in a 4-3 victory in Santa Barbara. Griffin Naess earns the start for Cal Poly, Naess pitched six strong innings and earned the win over the Tritons. Stay tuned in here or on our social media accounts, first pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Cicerone Field.
