Fischback Clinches Cal Poly Series Sweep With 7-1 Victory

Sunday, March 6

1 pm

4-6

Valparaiso

1-11

Valparaiso

Cal Poly

Fischback Clinches Cal Poly Series Sweep With 7-1 Victory

3/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Senior right-hander Steven Fischback earned his first victory in nearly three years Sunday afternoon, scattering four hits over six innings, as Cal Poly completed its first three-game baseball series sweep since 2009 with a 7-1 victory over Valparaiso in Baggett Stadium.

Fischback (1-0), who missed the entire 2009 and 2010 seasons due to labrum surgery, struck out four and walked three. He struggled through the first three innings, throwing 57 pitches, but retired the final 10 Crusader batters he faced, tossing just 27 pitches in his final three innings of work.

Senior southpaw Frankie Reed secured five outs, lowering his ERA to 0.96, while junior right-handed closer Jeff Johnson struck out three of the four batters he faced to drop his ERA to 1.93.

Fischback (pictured above), the Las Lomas High School (Walnut Creek) graduate who on Sunday was starting a game on the mound in Baggett Stadium for the first time since May of 2008, earned his first win since an 8-6 triumph over UNLV on May 4, 2008.

Offensively, Cal Poly was paced by sophomore third baseman Evan Busby with two singles and a sacrifice bunt, driving in two runs with a bloop single down the right field line in the seventh inning. Senior designated hitter DJ Gentile also singled twice, knocking in one run with an infield groundout.

The Mustangs, who opened the week with an 0-6 mark, are now 4-6 following Tuesday's 11-4 triumph at No. 21 and previously unbeaten Fresno State and the weekend sweep against Valparaiso (1-10).

"It was a good week overall, capped off with a weekend sweep," said ninth-year Cal Poly head coach Larry Lee. "The sweep allowed us to climb back toward .500 and give us some confidence."

The Mustangs are playing 17 of 18 games at home after the win over Fresno State on Tuesday.

"Being at home for the first time, we're hoping that we can get in a routine and build some momentum," Lee added.

Cal Poly outscored Valparaiso 26-3 in the series and hit .301 against the Crusaders, lifting the team batting average for the season 15 points to .275.

After Valparaiso scored a run in the top of the third inning, Cal Poly answered with three in the bottom of the frame. Only hit of the rally was an infield single by Busby and the Mustangs took advantage of a trio of Crusader errors to score the runs.

Cal Poly added two runs in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Mike Miller and a wild pitch and tallied two more runs in the seventh on Busby's bloop single down the right field line.

Miller had one single in the game and is currently hitting .529 on the year.

Valparaiso southpaw Jon Gulbransen (0-2) allowed five runs -- only one earned -- and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Kevin Wild and Mike Jacobs pitched in relief for the Crusaders, who are playing their first 23 games of the 2011 season on the road and have played nine games in the last 10 days in California. Valparaiso plays three more games at UNLV next weekend.

The Crusaders' four hits were singled by four different players. Catcher Robbie Robinson picked up the RBI with a single to right field in the third inning.

The first four innings of Sunday's game was played in a light drizzle.

Cal Poly will host Loyola Marymount (9-4) for a four-game series next weekend in Baggett Stadium. Friday's game starts at 6 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a 1 o'clock series finale Sunday.

The Lions split a four-game home series against Hawai'i this weekend.