Cal Poly Sweeps Friday Doubleheader Against San Francisco, 2-1 and 10-5

Friday, March 4

4 pm

9-2

San Francisco

2-10

U. San Francisco

Cal Poly

Cal Poly Sweeps Friday Doubleheader Against San Francisco, 2-1 and 10-5

3/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Junior third baseman Michael Sanderson knocked in three runs with a double, triple and two singles to spark Cal Poly to a 10-5 victory over San Francisco and a sweep of Friday's non-conference doubleheader in Baggett Stadium.

Sanderson (pictured above) singled in a run in the third inning and tripled to drive in a pair of runs in the seventh frame, breaking open a 4-2 contest and producing his first four-hit game as a Mustang.

Held scoreless on four hits in the first eight innings of the opener, Cal Poly parlayed four singles and an intentional walk in the bottom of the ninth inning into two runs and the Mustangs' third walk-off victory of the young season, a 2-1 decision over the Dons.

With the pair of wins, Cal Poly improved to 9-2 for the year. San Francisco fell to 2-10.

While the two teams combined for just three runs and 12 hits in the opener, the nightcap was no comparison as the Mustangs and Dons scored 15 runs on 34 hits and stranded 22 runners on the basepaths, 11 by each team.

In addition to Sanderson's four hits, Cal Poly's 18 base knocks included two singles and a double by freshman center fielder Alex McKenna and two doubles and a triple by senior right fielder John Schuknecht.

Junior catcher Brett Barbier, freshman shortstop Kyle Marinconz and freshman first baseman Cooper Moore all added a pair of hits for the Mustangs.

Barbier is now hitting .436 on the year while McKenna sports a .395 mark, Marinconz .359 and Sanderson .324. As a team, Cal Poly lifted its 11-game batting average to .302.

Cal Poly never trailed in the nightcap, scoring a run in the first inning on Schuknecht's RBI triple and snapping a 1-1 tie with three runs in the third, highlighted by Schuknecht's RBI double, Marinconz's run-scoring triple and Sanderson's RBI single, all with two out.

Sanderson's two-run triple and McKenna's two-run double sparked the six-run seventh-inning uprising that clinched the game for the Mustangs. Barbier and freshman first baseman Cooper Moore added run-scoring singles.

Junior right-hander Justin Calomeni (2-0), the second of five Mustang pitchers used in the game, earned the win, his second of the week. Calomeni pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed one walk and two hits with five strikeouts.

The loss went to San Francisco southpaw Chase Gardner (0-1) as he surrendered four runs and five hits in 2 2/3 innings. The Dons also used five pitchers in the nightcap.

Left fielder Harrison Bruce and third baseman Riley Helland both had three hits for San Francisco.

In the opener, Cal Poly trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Schuknecht tied the game with a single to left field and Moore ended the quick 2-hour, 17-minute game with another single to left field.

Anthony Shew, who scattered four hits over seven frames, and Frank Waliczek, who struck out two in the eighth inning, held Cal Poly scoreless through the first eight innings of the game.

James Kannenberg (0-1) pitched the ninth inning for the Dons and allowed both runs, all four hits and the walk as Cal Poly notched its third walk-off win of the year and second of the week.

On Tuesday, Kevin Morgan's one-out single to right field scored Marinconz from second base as Cal Poly rallied to beat Pepperdine 6-5. And on Feb. 20, Nick Meyer singled to right field to score Sanderson from second base in the 10th inning of a 7-6 win over Pacific.

Sophomore southpaw Kyle Smith pitched eight brilliant innings for Cal Poly in Saturday's opener but received no run support. He allowed one run and three hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

Redshirt freshman Austin Dondanville (1-0) pitched the ninth inning and picked up the win, striking out one.

Cal Poly's eight hits included two singles each by Barbier, Marinconz and Schuknecht. San Francisco's four hits were by four different players. Second baseman Aaron Ping knocked in the lone Don run with a single in the eighth inning.

All 12 hits in the game were singles.

Final game of the series and Cal Poly's final game of a season-opening 12-game home stand is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m., weather permitting. Sophomore right-hander Erich Uelmen (2-0, 1.80 ERA) will start on the mound for Cal Poly. Check www.gopoly.com for updates.