Box Score

By Aaron Castrejon
BroncoAthletics.com

POMONA, Calif. - The Cal Poly Pomona baseball team suffered an 8-3 loss Friday to Sonoma State, a squad backed by its early runs.

The visiting Seawolves improve to a perfect 10-0 overall record and a 5-0 mark in California Collegiate Athletic Association play, while the Broncos fall to 10-5 and 4-5.

Casey Yokubaitis took the mound for CPP and got roughed up early on a few key pitches to SSU, as he allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks in 3.1 innings pitched.

Scott Sibley would perform admirably in relief work for the Broncos, going 5.2 innings allowing two hits and collectinig two strikeouts.

SSU, enjoying its best start in school history, was off and running in the first inning. SSU got their leadoff man on with a grounder up the middle. Two pitches later, shortstop Alex Todd shot a laser over the left field wall to put the Seawolves out in front 2-0.

The Broncos' squad would surge back in their first inning. With a runner on, Mike Santora executed an excellent bunt along third and reached safely to put runners at first and second. SSU pitcher Thomas Lee walked Travis Taijeron to load the bases. Tyson Edwards then poked a tapper through the right side to drive in two runs.

Jordan Whitman followed with an RBI single to right field to give the Broncos a 3-2 lead.

SSU continued to collect runs in the second inning with a long double to center from Kyle Cerrudo that gave Seawolves a one run lead. An error by Yokubaitis allowed Cerrudo to advance to third and Steven Filippi drove him in with a fielder's choice to second.

“I left a couple of balls out over the plate and they did a good job of hitting,” said CPP pitcher Casey Yokubaitis.  “Every team we play is going to be good in this league and we have to be prepared."

Leading 5-3 in the fourth inning, Seawolves would continue to boost their lead. Yokubaitis would commit a wild pitch allowing Cerrudo to get in scoring position. A blooper to left field drove in SSU's 6th run of the game. Todd, who stung CPP earlier in the first, would crank another two-run homer to left, extending SSU's lead to 8-3 to take the first of the four-game series.

“We got away from our game a little bit and they got up on us early,” CPP head coach Randy Betten said. “We'll be better tomorrow.”

The Broncos will take on the Seawolves again Saturday in a doubleheader with the first pitch set for 11 a.m. at Scolinos Field.