Triple by Mathias Helps Cal Poly Clinch Hawaii Series With 3-2 Victory

Saturday, April 11

6 pm

13-18, 3-2

Hawai'i

12-22, 3-5

Hawai'i

Cal Poly

Triple by Mathias Helps Cal Poly Clinch Hawaii Series With 3-2 Victory

4/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – For the second straight game, Cal Poly fell behind. And for the second night in a row, the Mustangs bounced back for a victory.

Mark Mathias tripled to cap a three-run seventh-inning rally as Cal Poly turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 victory over Hawaii in the second game of a three-game Big West Conference baseball series Saturday night before 1,481 in Baggett Stadium.

Cal Poly, which was 0-10 when outhit by the opposition in its first 29 games this season, was outhit Friday night 12-7 but erased a 5-0 deficit for a 7-5 win and was outhit again Saturday 8-6.

Nevertheless, Coach Larry Lee's Mustangs stretched their winning streak to three games, earned their third series win of the season, raised their overall mark to 13-18 and moved into fourth place in the Big West at 3-2.

Hawaii fell to 12-22 and 3-5.

Freshman southpaw Kyle Smith (3-5), one week after holding Cal State Fullerton to one earned run and five hits over eight innings in a complete-game 2-1 loss, tossed eight more innings Saturday, scattering eight hits and giving up two runs and two walks with a pair of strikeouts.

He earned the win despite getting hit on his pitching arm by a line drive off the bat of Kaeo Aliviado leading off the eighth inning. The ball rolled to third baseman Tommy Pluschkell, who threw to first base for the out. After a couple practice pitches, Smith stayed in the game to finish the eighth inning.

Senior right-hander Danny Zandona gave up one walk but struck out three in the ninth for his second save of the series and sixth of the season. Zandona has faced 10 batters in three innings during the series and struck out eight of them.

The loss went to Hawaii right-hander Tyler Brashears (4-4), though the junior held Cal Poly to no runs and two hits through the first six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. Brashears struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings and only one of the three runs he gave up was earned.

Hawaii tallied its two runs in the fourth. First baseman Eric Ramirez singled to left field for the first RBI and left fielder Marcus Doi doubled to center field to drive in the second run.
Cal Poly scored all of its runs in the seventh to chase Brashears.

After singles by Jordan Ellis and Ryan Drobny put runners at first and third with one out, pinch-hitter Kevin Morgan grounded back to the pitcher. Brashears threw Morgan out at first, but Ellis scored from third when Ramirez's throw to the plate was off line. Drobny advanced to third on the throwing error and scored the tying run with two outs when Pluschkell grounded to shortstop. Jacob Sheldon-Collins' throw in the dirt caromed off Ramirez's glove for an error.

Mathias ripped a triple to the gap in left-center field, scoring Pluschkell from first base with the go-ahead run.

Hawaii was retired in order in the eighth and couldn't take advantage of the two-out walk in the ninth, falling to Cal Poly for the fifth straight time.

Hawaii's eight hits included a single and double by designated hitter Alex Sawelson and two singles by Ramirez.

Ellis (pictured above) and Drobny both had two of Cal Poly's six hits as both singled and doubled.

Cal Poly has won series this season, against Pacific, Oregon State and Hawaii, all in the last six weeks.

Final game of the series is set for Sunday at 1 o'clock. Cal Poly will send sophomore right-hander Justin Calomeni (1-3, 5.84 ERA) to the mound against Hawaii senior southpaw Jarrett Arakawa (2-0, 2.01 ERA).