POMONA, Calif. - With his first start in over a month, Cody Ponce and the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos earned a win in the series finale Sunday between the Chico State Wildcats and CPP. The final score of the game was 7-3. The Bronco win also means that the Green and Gold win the series, taking 3-of-4 from the opposition.
 
With the win, the Broncos improved to a 19-7 overall tally, complete with a 11-5 mark in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Chico State now holds a  10-12 record and have marked nine wins and 10 losses in conference play.
 
Ponce dealt a total of three innings for the Broncos on the mound, allowing just three hits and one earned run. He also racked up three strikeouts in the showing, averaging his fastball in the mid-90s.
 
The junior righty was given some run support from his team as the bottom of the first came with the Broncos posting a two on the scoreboard. Christian Kelley, who improved his hit streak to seven with the 2-for-4 performance Sunday, was first to cross for the home squad. Soon after he scored Matt Muñoz singled to right and brought home Kyle Garlick.
 
Kelley was one of five members of CPP's squad to have multi hits in the game, as Caleb Romo, Muñoz, and Jacob Bernardy each posted two hits, and Nick Cooksey led the Green and Gold, going 3-for-5 while adding a team high three RBIs.
 
Chico quickly added a run to the board themselves with a scoring double in the top of the second inning.
 
In the bottom half of the second, so as to not be outdone, Cooksey singled to left and that knock sent Bernardy crossing the plate, pulling the score up to 3-1 in CPP's favor.
 
The Broncos would score again before the Wildcats could as the fourth inning saw Garlick send a long sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Nicholas Bruno to make it home. Cooksey earned his second RBI in the game in the fourth as well, singling to center and again scoring Bernardy.  
 
CSUC scored just twice more in the game; in the fifth and again in the eighth, bring their total run tally to three on the day.
 
Muñoz, in the seventh, sent a line drive screaming past the first baseman, scoring Michael Zidek, advancing Romo to third, and recording a double in the process.
 
The final run of the game for the Broncos was yet again at the bat of Cooksey, he added a third single and for the third time, sent Bernardy home, giving the game its final 7-3 result.
 
After Ponce reached his predetermined pitch count, he was relieved by Ryan Alsworth, Richie McWilliams, Zach Williams, and J.J. Franklin. The final innings of the game saw the CPP bullpen earn five strikeouts while allowing just three hits.
 
The Broncos will return to action on Thursday as they head to Carson to challenge the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros. Thursday and Friday the Broncos will play the visitor role to the Toros and come Saturday CPP will yet again be at Scolinos Field as they finish the series with a home doubleheader.
 
Continue to check broncoathletics.com for more information about the 2015 Cal Poly Pomona Broncos.