6-12
Kansas City
8-10
Cal Poly Edges Kansas City to Earn Sunday Split at Reggie Smith Invitational
3/1/2026 2:52:00 PM | Softball
SAN DIEGO – Senior righthander Amy Ross (above) earned her first victory of the year and sophomore catcher Maya Venegas supplied two RBI and a pair of doubles as the Cal Poly softball program opened Sunday morning action at San Diego’s Reggie Smith Invitational with a 5-4, come-from-behind win versus Kansas City. The Mustangs, however, fell in game No. 2 of Sunday’s doubleheader, closing play in San Diego with an 8-0, five-inning setback to Washington.
During Sunday’s opening 5-4 victory against Kansas City (8-10), Cal Poly (6-13) received successive run-scoring hits from Venegas in the fourth and fifth innings to build a 3-1 lead before falling behind after the Roos crossed the plate three times in the top of the sixth.
However, Cal Poly left fielder Micayla Arlotto singled to lead off the bottom half of the sixth before coming around to tie the matchup on a passed ball, a sacrifice bunt by right fielder Maddy Bermudez and another passed ball from Kansas City catcher Mary Cunningham. Third baseman Leilani Allen then drew a four-pitch walk before being doubled home for the 5-4 edge by shortstop Madi Bohannon.
In the circle for Cal Poly, Ross (1-0) struck out three and conceded just five hits in six and one-third innings of action. She retired the Roos in order in the first and third and allowed just one hit in the second and fourth before giving way to junior righthander Ally Robbins to earn her first save of 2026.
During Sunday’s second game with Washington (15-6), Cal Poly stranded a solitary baserunner in both the top of the first and second before the Huskies surged ahead during the bottom half of the second after right fielder Kaycie Burdick singled home left fielder Ava Carroll with two down.
Washington then placed the game in run-rule territory during the third after designated player Ally Hetzel homered off Mustang starting righthander Bree Brennan (3-4) before shortstop Melody Acevedo produced a bases-clearing double and first baseman Alexis DeBoer added a bases-clearing triple.
The Mustangs, meanwhile, saw their final 10 hitters retired in order.
Cal Poly resumes action when opening its 29th season of Big West play at Cal State Fullerton March 7-8. Series action begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 7 at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ross, Amy (1-0)
L: Robles, Delilah (5-3)
S: Robbins, Ally (1)
Batting:
2B: Cunningham, Mary 1
RBI: Navarro, Elleana 1 ; Cunningham, Mary 1 ; Corres, Mia 1 ; French, Adelyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Navarro, Elleana 1 ; Lickel, Gianna 1 ; Bustamante, Leilani 1 ; Corres, Mia 1
HBP: Bustamante, Leilani 1 ; Johnston, Megan 1
Batting:
2B: Bohannon, Madi 1 ; Venegas, Maya 2
RBI: Bohannon, Madi 1 ; Barrios, Aly 1 ; Venegas, Maya 2
SH: Erskine, Sienna 1 ; Bermudez, Maddy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Choi, Karina 1 ; Arlotto, Micayla 1 ; Blanchard, Kiara 1 ; Lyons, Ava 1 ; Allen, Leilani 1
SB: Choi, Karina 1 ; Bermudez, Maddy 1 ; Barrios, Aly 1
CS: Bermudez, Maddy 1
