Box Scores -
Game 1 /
Game 2
By Sean Leahy
BroncoAthletics.com
POMONA, Calif. - Behind potent hitting and a complete-game performance from
Jake Reed, the Cal Poly Pomona baseball team rallied to salvage a doubleheader split on Saturday against Cal State San Bernardino.
Prior to the start of the first game, the Broncos honored eight senior student-athletes -
Tyson Edwards,
Stephen Gonzalez,
Mike Neff,
Michael Parker,
John Pollock,
Scott Sibley,
Travis Taijeron and
Casey Yokubaitis. Edwards and Gonzalez paced CPP on offense, as both players went 4-for-7 through the two contests.
Reed joined Edwards as the stars of game two, with the junior right-handed pitcher going seven innings for the complete game while scattering five hits and throwing just 70 pitches. He did not walk a single CSUSB batter.
Jordan Whitman and
Mike Santora extended their hit streaks to 19 and 18 games respectively. The longest hit streak in the history of CPP baseball is 31 games, recorded in 1983 by Larry Beardman.
Saturday's results push the Broncos marks to 25-14 overall and 18-14 through California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play, matching the league win total from 2010. The visiting Coyotes settle at 17-17 overall and 14-12 in conference action. CPP remains in fifth place in the CCAA standings, just a half game back of fourth-place Cal State L.A.
Up next for the Broncos will be a bye week from conference play. In the meantime, CPP will challenge Concordia Wednesday at 3 p.m. and San Diego Christian Thursday at 1 p.m. Both games will be held at Scolinos Field on the Broncos' campus.
Game One: CSUSB 5, CPP 3
The visiting CSUSB squad got going early, scoring two runs in the first inning. The rally was initiated by Erik Ornelas, who doubled down the leftfield line with one out. Hits followed from David Silvas and Matt Winn before the Broncos escaped further damage.
CPP got two of its own in the fourth inning, as Taijeron launched his 10th homerun of the season over the fence in left center. That also brought in
Ryan Goodman, who had recorded a leadoff single.
The Broncos tacked on one more in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead, after Edwards, Gonzalez and
Humberto Tovalin opened the frame with three-straight hits.
The advantage didn't hold up for long though, as CSUSB rallied for two scores in the sixth with one coming from a Silvas solo shot. The Coyotes would get one more in the ninth to earn the 5-3 result.
CPP left-handed starter
Ryan Dunn finished with 5.2 innings and four earned runs allowed. That marked the first loss of the season for Dunn, who holds a 4-1 record. The CSUSB bullpen maintained the visitors' edge, as Bryant Hollingsworth combined with closer Josh Pond for three scoreless innings to close the contest.
The Broncos totaled 10 hits in the contest, including a 3-for-4 performance from Gonzalez and a 2-for-3 effort by Tovalin.
Game Two: CPP 7, CSUSB 1
The Broncos looked to bounce back after a tough loss in the first game of the doubleheader after they weren't able to capitalize on the three errors committed by the CSUSB defense.
The CPP offense answered the call in a big way in game two as they were able to take advantage the Coyotes' mistakes, which lead to a 7-1 victory.
The scoring action didn't start until the third inning when things started to turn sour for CSUSB. Edwards started things up for the Broncos with one out in the inning with a single to centerfield, but outfielder Ethan Chapman couldn't handle the ball cleanly as Edwards cruised into second base on the error.
Neff then battled back from a 0-2 count to earn a walk from Coyotes' starter Casey McCarthy. McCarthy proceeded to make things worse for himself as he threw a wild pitch that would advance both runners. Unlike the first game, CPP was able to cash in on costly errors from the Coyotes.
Santora would rope a double into right center, driving in Edwards and Neff. That inning would put the Broncos ahead 2-0, and that would be all the offense Reed would need.
The junior right-hander pitched brilliantly in just his second start of the season. The CPP hurler was very efficient as well, throwing just 70 pitches in his first complete game of the season. The only run he surrendered came off a homerun from Silvas in the fourth inning.
While Reed was keeping the Coyotes guessing, the Bronco offense continued to add run support. Taijeron would be hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth inning and then advanced to second on a bunt single by Whitman. Torres would advance both runners on a ground ball to the right side.
After a sacrifice fly from Tovalin scored Taijeron, Gonzalez drove in Whitman with a single just past the diving glove of third baseman Bryce Holland. Edwards would then double in Gonzalez to make the score 5-1. The senior designated hitter finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate.
CPP would score two more runs in the fifth inning. One of those runs coming from a wild pitch and a passed ball that scored Goodman. Torres would drive in the final run of the game for CPP with a single up the middle off reliever Kyle Krogman.
