Cal Poly Erases Five-Run Deficit but Falls to Pepperdine 11-9

Tuesday, April 17

Malibu, CA

3 pm

16-19

Pepperdine

18-17

Cal Poly

Pepperdine

Cal Poly Erases Five-Run Deficit but Falls to Pepperdine 11-9

4/17/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. – One week after erasing an 8-0 deficit to beat CSU Bakersfield, Cal Poly wiped out a five-run deficit with six runs in the seventh inning.

Pepperdine, however, regained the lead with three runs in the bottom of the seventh and held on to beat the Mustangs 11-9 in a non-conference baseball game Tuesday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

Scott Ogrin homered leading off the seventh and the next five runs were unearned. Kyle Marinconz singled in a run, Nick Meyer doubled to knock in two more, Elijah Skipps doubled for an RBI to tie the game and Bradlee Beesley singled to give Cal Poly a 9-8 lead.

Chase Lambert homered leading off the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 9-9 and Cory Wills belted his second two-run home run later in the inning to give Pepperdine the lead for good.

With the loss, Cal Poly falls to 16-19 for the season. Pepperdine has won six of its last eight games to climb over the .500 mark at 18-17.

The game featured five home runs – three by Pepperdine – and 26 combined hits, Pepperdine collecting 14 despite entering the game with a .242 team batting average.

Cal Poly led 1-0, 3-2 and 9-8 but couldn't hold on despite three Pepperdine errors. The Mustangs played errorless defense for just the eighth time this year.

Junior center fielder Alex McKenna produced his fourth three-hit game of the season and his team-leading 16th multiple-hit contest with three singles.

Sophomore right-fielder Bradlee Beesley drove in three runs with a two-run home run, his third of the year, and an RBI single while freshman infielder Tate Samuelson and senior designated hitter Elijah Skipps each had two hits.

Beesley's homer gave the Mustangs a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning.

Cal Poly, which used seven pitchers on Friday and Sunday against UC Davis, called on eight pitchers Tuesday, including sophomore second baseman Scott Ogrin (pictured above).

In his first collegiate appearance on the mound, Ogrin tossed a scoreless eighth inning with one walk. Six of Cal Poly's other seven pitchers used in the game allowed at least one run.

Ogrin accumulated five saves over two seasons at Valencia High School, pitching 10 1/3 innings and striking out 15.

Pepperdine's 14 hits included three each by Brandt Belk and Matthew Kanfer.

Jeremy Farraye (2-3) earned the win despite giving up two runs and three hits in one inning. Edward Yost, in his first appearance on the mound in three years, tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for a save.

The loss went to senior southpaw Kyle Smith (0-2).

Cal Poly returns home Friday night and resumes Big West play by hosting defending conference champion Long Beach State. The 7 p.m. contest will be televised nationally by ESPNU,

The series resumes Saturday night at 6 and concludes Sunday at 1 o'clock.

Photos courtesy of Lauren Pluim