Box Score | STOCKTON, Calif. – With a seven-run rally in the second inning, fourth-seeded Cal Poly Pomona baseball cruised to a 9-4 victory Thursday over top-seeded Sonoma State in the first game of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championships.

The Broncos raise their overall record to 32-13 and they now take on UC San Diego, a squad that topped Chico State Thursday night. CPP will take on the Tritons at 7 p.m. Friday at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton.
 
Conference MVP David Armendariz provided a three-run double in the big second-inning rally and finished 2-for-5 offensively, extending his hit streak to nine games. Senior rightfielder Joseph Eusebio, also an All-CCAA First Team selection, collected four hits to raise his season batting average from .361 to .385.

With plenty of run support, Broncos' righthander starter Steven Farnworth turned in a solid 8.2-inning performance to earn his sixth win of the season. He kept CPP's 8-2 lead intact through the middle innings before allowing single scores in the eighth and ninth with the game mostly out of reach.

Armendariz and Eusebio combined to get the scoring started in the top of the first. With one out, Armendariz tallied an infield single and then moved to second on a wild pitch. Eusebio then drove a single up the middle on a 2-2 pitch, allowing Armendariz to cross home and give CPP a 1-0 lead.

The Broncos took advantage of four walks early in the top of the second, including one from Matt Muñoz to force a run in with the bases loaded. SSU went to the bullpen after that and the CPP offense came alive, recording three-consecutive extra-base hits.

After falling behind 0-2 in the count, Armendariz worked it even at 2-2 before sending a double to the right-center gap as three teammates scored on the play. Eusebio followed that with a triple, Bo Walter added a double and Chris Carlson capped it off with a single.  All four of the Broncos' RBI hits in the inning came off the bat of seniors.

The Seawolves broke through for two runs in the bottom of the third but the lead stayed at 8-2 until the eighth inning as Farnworth continued to work effectively. The two teams traded runs from that point on, finishing with the 9-4 result. Junior righthander J.J. Franklin entered the game with two outs in the ninth, recording the one batter he faced to end the contest.

The CPP defense lended support to the pitchers Thursday. Walter had a tremendous diving catch on a line drive while Trevor Magno came up with some clutch stops and throws at the shortstop position.