SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Utah Valley pulled within a run in the middle innings, but Cal Poly responded with a 13-run fifth frame on its way to taking the series opener by a score of 17-3 at Baggett Stadium on Friday night in San Luis Obispo.
The Wolverines fall to 2-3 on the season with the setback while the Big West Mustangs improve to 4-4 with the victory.
Cal Poly was the first to get things going with a first-inning solo home run from Brooks Lee followed by a two-out rally in the second that plated three more runs to take a 4-0 lead.
The Wolverines then responded in the top of the fifth with a bases-clearing double from senior
Alexander Marco to make it a one-run game at 4-3. Following walks from
Brandon Luna and
Mitch Moralez, along with a
Jake Plecas single, Marco delivered the big hit for UVU with a three-run double off the wall in left to make things interesting at the time.
The Mustangs wasted no time responding, however, by hanging the crooked number in the bottom of the fifth to take a 17-3 lead. UVU committed an error and issued six free passes in the frame, and Cal Poly took advantage on its way to scoring 13 runs in the fifth to put the game away.
UVU starter
Jesse Schmit suffered his first loss since the 2019 season to drop to 1-1 on the year. Cal Poly's Drew Thorpe (2-0) was credited with the win after allowing three runs on five hits over 5.0 innings.
Garrett Broussard led UVU at the plate in the ballgame by going 2-for-4, while Marco went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and Luna finished with a 1-for-2 showing with a double, a walk and a run scored. The freshman
Kyle Coburn also picked up his first collegiate hit for the Wolverines with a ninth-inning double. Lee, Cole Cabrera, Myles Emmerson, Matt Lopez and Taison Corio all had multi-hit performances for Cal Poly, and Lee led the way by going 3-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, three runs scored and three RBIs.
The Mustang pitching staff racked up a total of 11 strikeouts in contest and the Wolverines ended up stranding a total of eight baserunners on the basepaths in the ballgame.
The two teams will continue the three-game non-conference series on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT.
Nick Sims is scheduled to start for the Wolverines against Cal Poly's Travis Weston. The series will then close on Sunday with a 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT matinee.
