Mustangs Take Two Steps Closer to Top Spot with Saturday Sweep

Saturday, May 3

Long Beach, CA

1 pm

29-18, 10-6

Long Beach State

36-14, 13-3

Cal Poly

Long Beach State

Mustangs Take Two Steps Closer to Top Spot with Saturday Sweep

5/3/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

LONG BEACH – Freshman righthander Sierra Hyland (right) struck out eight Long Beach State hitters and matched a program single season record with her 10th shutout during the opening matchup of a three-game series and junior lefthander Chloe Wurst capped Saturday's doubleheader with a seven-strikeout performance as the Cal Poly softball team halved its gap on the Big West Conference-leading 49ers with 4-0 and 4-2 victories.

With the pair of victories at 49er Softball Complex, third-place Cal Poly (30-18, 11-6) moved to within two games of Big West-leading Long Beach State (36-15, 13-4) with four contests remaining in the regular season. UC Santa Barbara (32-18, 12-5), following its own Saturday sweep of last-place UC Riverside, sits one game back of Long Beach State and one in front of Cal Poly.

The Mustangs, whose game No. 2 victory on Saturday marked the program's 500th win at the Division I level, close their three-game series with Long Beach State on Sunday, May 4 at 1 p.m.

During Saturday's opening contest, Cal Poly reached its leadoff batter during each of the first two innings before capitalizing against Long Beach State starting righthander Erin Jones-Wesley (18-8) in the top of the second. After reaching with a leadoff walk, senior catcher Mariah Cochiolo moved to second through a sacrifice bunt by senior center fielder Lauren Moreno. Three batters later, senior third baseman Jillian Andersen singled to left field to plate Cochiolo.

Provided to lead, Hyland retired 12 of the next 14 49ers she faced and, from the second inning on, failed to allow a Long Beach State baserunner past first. Long Beach State's last threat came during the sixth with shortstop Shayna Kimbrough singling to lead off. Hyland, however, induced a fly out, pop out and foul out to end the inning.

With her eight strikeouts, Hyland improved her season total to 250 – three behind the single-year record established by two-time All-American Desarie Knipfer in 1997. Entering Sunday's series finale, Hyland also ranks second in Mustang single season program history with 23 victories, 25 complete games, 237.0 innings pitched and 31 starts, fourth with 37 appearances and eighth with a 1.68 ERA.

Still hanging on to a 1-0 lead, Cal Poly put the opening game out of reach in the top of the seventh – first through a two-out, run-scoring single by freshman right fielder Courtney Tyler. Hyland then lashed a line drive to center field that Long Beach State's Leilani Tapua-Tautalatasi misplayed, an error that bring in Tyler and senior left fielder Emily Ceccacci for the final scoreline.

During Saturday's second game – Cal Poly's 400th Big West contest – the Mustangs once again grabbed the game's only lead in the top of the second. After Cal Poly loaded the bases with no outs against Long Beach State starting righthander Amanda Hansen (18-6), Mustang sophomore first baseman Breana West lined into a double play. Next up, however, senior second baseman Ashley Romano singled to score Cochiolo. An infield single by Andersen then plated Moreno for a 2-0 advantage.

The Mustangs returned in the third to load the bases once more with Moreno producing a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Tyler for a 3-0 lead. Hyland followed by the same modality in the fourth to bring home Ceccacci as Cal Poly ran its advantage to 4-0.

Long Beach State finally broke through against the Mustang rotation during the bottom of the sixth with catcher Lauren Lombardi producing a sacrifice fly and third baseman Hannah De Gaetano following with a two-out, run-scoring single.

Hyland, however, reentered in the seventh to retire the 49ers in order and chalk up her first career save.