Sacramento State Shuts Out Cal Poly for Second Straight Game, 2-0

Saturday, March 14

6 pm

5-11

Sacramento State

10-7

Sacramento State

Cal Poly

Sacramento State Shuts Out Cal Poly for Second Straight Game, 2-0

3/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Junior southpaw Sam Long pitched a five-hit shutout as Sacramento State defeated Cal Poly 2-0 in the third game of a four-game non-conference baseball series Saturday night in Baggett Stadium.

In the opening round of the NCAA Division I San Luis Obispo Regional a year ago in Baggett Stadium, Long allowed four runs and seven hits in seven innings of a 4-2 loss to the Mustangs.

Saturday night, Long (4-0) did not allow a walk and struck out five for his fourth win without a loss this seasonand third career shutout as Sacramento State improved to 10-7 for the year.

Cal Poly, shut out in back-to-back games for the first time since the second and third games of the 2004 season against San Diego, fell to 5-11. Sacramento State also won Friday's game 2-0 after Cal Poly earned a 6-2 victory in the series opener.

Cal Poly has been shut out four times this season, including three of its last four home games. The Mustangs have not scored in 19 consecutive innings.

Mustang freshman left-hander Kyle Smith (1-3) (pictured above) pitched well enough to win most games, allowing a run and six hits over seven innings with one walk and four strikeouts.

But Sacramento State tallied single runs in the first and eighth frames, more than enough for Long, who threw 105 pitches, 73 for strikes, in the 2-hour, 11-minute contest.

Shortstop Scotty Burcham tripled with one out in the first and came home on center fielder Nathan Lukes' groundout to first base.

Burcham opened the eighth with an infield single and eventually scored on first baseman Vinny Esposito's single to right-center field.

Cal Poly managed to get several runners in scoring position, but couldn't take advantage.

Senior first baseman Tommy Pluschkell doubled with one out in the third. Senior right fielder Zack Zehner singled and stole second base with one out in the fourth. Junior designated hitter Mark Mathias led off the sixth with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.

Sophomore catcher Brett Barbier singled to lead off the eighth, but two fly balls to the outfield and a groundout ended that threat.

Cal Poly's five hits were collected by five different players. Sacramento State's 11-hit offensive attack was paced by Burcham with a triple and two singles. Second baseman Brandon Hunley singled twice and catcher Gunner Pollman added a double.

Final game of the series will be played Sunday at 1 o'clock with freshman right-hander Michael Gomez (0-1, 2.45 ERA) on the mound for Cal Poly against Sacramento State senior right-hander Ty Nichols (0-0, 1.40 ERA).