Joe Yorke (left), who drove in four runs, and Evan Cloyd, who belted a two-run home run in his first game as a Mustang, were all smiles Friday night after 15-5 Cal Poly win over Missouri State.
Nine-Run Fifth-Inning Rally Powers Cal Poly to Season-Opening Win
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- First baseman Joe Yorke drove in four runs with three hits while Tate Shimao, Aaron Casillas and evan Cloyd, all playing their first game as Mustangs, each knocked in three as Cal Poly rallied from an early 2-0 deficit with nine runs in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth en route to a season-opening 15-5 baseball victory over Missouri State on Friday night.
Before 1,864 fans in Baggett Stadium, Mustang catcher Collin Villegas tied a school record by drawing five walks and five Mustang pitchers combined to strike out 15 Bear batters in the 3-hour, 31-minute game.
Bryce Warrecker struck out eight in
five innings of work on the mound.
Coach Larry Lee's Mustangs stranded seven runners on the basepaths in the first four innings before breaking through in the fifth, sending 16 batters to the plate and producing nine runs on six hits, an error, a wild pitch, two passed balls and a hit batter.
Cloyd smashed a two-run home run to left field, Casillas added a two-run double to right-center field, Ryan Stafford singled to center field for two more runs and Shimao singled to left to knock in a pair before Cloyd was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the final run of the uprising.
In the sixth, Yorke doubled with the bases loaded, scoring two runs, Casillas added a sacrifice fly and Shimao tallied a run on a fielder's choice.
The outbursts in the middle innings were more than enough for starter Bryce Warrecker (1-0) and four relievers.
The loss was charged to Scott Youngbrandt (0-1), the second of six pitchers used by Missouri State.
Center fielder Jake Steels, also playing his first game in a Mustang uniform, and Yorke each banged out three hits. Cloyd finished with two.
Missouri State's 10-hit offensive attack was paced by Nick Rodriguez, Mason Greer and Cam Cratic, each with a pair of hits. Cratic homered in the first inning to give the Bears their early 2-0 lead.
Second game of the series will be played Saturday at 4 p.m. with Cal Poly graduate southpaw Travis Weston on the mound for the Mustangs, facing Missouri State junior right-hander Brandt Thompson.
