Cal Poly Baseball was unable to salvage a game in the Blue-Green rivalry series against UCSB, with the Gauchos (19-10, 8-4 Big West) finishing off the sweep on Sunday with a 12-4 victory.
The Mustangs (17-13, 10-5) only scored six runs in the series against a UCSB pitching staff that leads the Big West in team ERA. The series shared similarities with the USC series earlier in the season, in which elite pitching overpowered a typically high-octane Mustang offense.
Cal Poly had some late life offensively, cutting the lead to 7-4 in the eighth inning when Ryan Tayman and Casey Murray Jr. hit back-to-back home runs. For Tayman, it was his 10th big fly of the season, tied for second in the conference, and six more than any other Mustang. The hitter closest behind is Murray Jr., who launched his fourth homer of the year on Sunday.
The Gauchos’ offense was relentless all afternoon, getting their 12 runs on 14 hits and scoring in five separate innings, including a five-run ninth to put the Mustangs to bed.
Carson Turnquist made the start for Cal Poly and got hit around despite flashing some elite velocity, conceding four runs in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander touched 98 miles per hour with his fastball in the effort, and has overall been a positive addition to the rotation after not pitching most of last season.
All four Cal Poly pitchers who appeared allowed at least two runs, with hits not being the only issue with the group. The staff issued five walks and hit five batters, adding 10 free passes to go along with the double-digit hit total. Reliever Nick Bonn pitched three innings for the first time since February 21 against Washington State.
Looking ahead, Cal Poly will have a potential get-right game against San Jose State on Tuesday before traveling to Oregon State for another series against an elite team. The Mustangs have gone 0-7 against the two best teams they’ve faced this season, and the Beavers will provide a similar challenge. To prove they belong in conversations with teams like this, the Mustangs will need to make a statement.