|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
|
R |
H |
E |
|
Cal Poly Pomona (28-18, 20-17 CCAA) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
|
9 |
11 |
1 |
|
Cal State East Bay (15-24, 9-20 CCAA) |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
4 |
7 |
0 |
|
Pitching |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
W - Geoff Broussard (11-1)
|
9.0 |
7 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
8 |
|
L - Bryce Miller (1-8) |
7.1 |
9 |
6 |
6 |
1 |
7 |
HAYWARD, Calif. - Cal Poly Pomona senior catcher
Jenzen Torres made history in Hayward Friday, sending three pitches over the fence to become the Broncos' all-time leader in homeruns.
The Valencia, Calif., native raised his career homer total from 31 to 34, passing
Travis Taijeron and Tom Weeks in the same day. The epic performance by Torres, one of two four-year seniors on the team, helped the Broncos secure a 9-4 victory at Cal State East Bay.
Torres also matched the single-game record for homers as Larry Reed (1963) and Brad Downing (1997) are the only other players to hit three in one contest.
Right-hander
Geoff Broussard, the other four-year senior on the 2012 squad, led the way once again on the mound as he threw his seventh complete game of the year. The Rancho Cucamonga native allowed three earned runs and struck out eight, notching career strikeout No. 200 in the fifth inning. He improved his record to 11-1, remaining No. 1 nationally among Division II pitchers in victories.
The win moves CPP into fifth place at 20-17 in
California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play. The top four teams at the conclusion of the regular season advance into the conference tournament.
The Pioneers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead Friday, scoring twice in the first inning with singles by Charlie Sharrer and Jordan Wilder while benefiting from a Broncos' error.
Broussard settled in nicely after that though as he struck out the side in the second en route to retiring 10-consecutive batters.
Meanwhile, the Broncos' offense awoke with three solo shots to take a 3-2 lead. The first homer came from senior
Chris Curtis with one out in the third. It marked the fourth of 2012 for the Vacaville native.
Torres knocked the next two solo shots, with the first coming to lead off the fourth and the second occuring with one out in the sixth. Both shots soared over the leftfield fence.
The seesaw nature of the contest continued as the Pioneers rallied for two scores in the bottom of the sixth to retake the lead. With first and second occupied, a two-out wild pitch by Broussard pushed the CSUEB runners to second and third. Then, Kyle Zozaya delivered with a clutch single to score the two Pioneers and give the hosts a 4-3 edge.
Curtis helped limit the damage in that inning with a pair of fine defensive plays at third, barehanding a slow roller and throwing out a runner before snaring a line out moments later.
The Broncos put together a key rally together in the eighth as
Mike Santora led off with a double and
Donald Walter reached base after being hit.
Torres stepped to the plate next and when CSUEB didn't back down from the challenge, the senior catcher made the Pioneers pay. He launched a three-run shot over the fence in left-center, moving up to No. 1 on the Broncos' leaderboard. Eight of Torres' 34 career homers have come against CSUEB.
CPP added three more scores in the ninth, thanks to smart baserunning by Curtis and a two-run homer from Walter. The Broncos and Pioneers will resume their series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
