CARY, N.C. – A record-setting season for Cal Poly Pomona baseball came to a close Friday with a 9-6 loss to Catawba in the semifinal round of the NCAA Division II World Series. The Broncos were one of just three teams still in contention for the national title.
 
CPP's spectacular season finishes with a 46-17 overall record, setting a new program record for wins. Along the way, the Broncos swept the conference regular season and tournament titles along with capturing the West Region title for the first time since 1985.

In Cary, N.C., the Broncos went 3-2, defeating No. 17 Truman, No. 3 Mercyhurst, and No. 2 Catawba and falling to nationally first-ranked Tampa and Catawba. Highlighting the offense's effort on Friday were Ryan Webberley, who went 3-for-3, along with Mike Philp and Jacob Bernardy collecting two hits apiece. After Saturday's national title game between Tampa and Catawba, Philp and Kyle Garlick were featured on the All-Tournament Team.
 
Throughout the week, it seemed to be a constant that the CPP squad would score early in the ballgame. In just the second inning of Friday's game, two Green and Gold clad runners crossed the plate giving them an early lead over the nationally-ranked Catawba.
 
That second inning was led off by Webberley, who doubled for the third time in Cary. Bernardy then posted his first run batted in of the NCAA D-II Baseball Championships as he sent a single to center field and allowed Webberley to score. Next up was Garlick, who has by far been the tourney's best hitter. He sent a hard single off the glove of the diving Indians' infielders and brought Bernardy home. 
 
In the top of the next inning, the Catawba crew pulled even with the Broncos after a single to center and a subsequent sacrifice fly brought home two. Heading into the CPP at-bats in the bottom of the third, it was a new ballgame as the score stood 2-2.
 
Philp, who sent out his first couple homeruns of 2015 in the Broncos' elimination game win over Truman, would come in clutch yet again. With Nick Cooksey on third base, the CPP first baseman fought off a few pitches before finding the one he wanted and sending it deep over the left field fence, giving the Green and Gold a 4-2 advantage.
 
Catawba would again pull even with the Broncos at the culmination of the next half inning as two unearned runs crossed the plate after a hard liner that shot by Nicholas Bruno at third, and a failed attempt at a pickoff play sent two home.
 
The Indians dealt some more damage to the Broncos and would take their first lead of the day after a single to left with runners at second and third resulted in run number five.
 
With the tenacity that has been shown all year, the Broncos' offense came through again. A two-out single through the right side for Bruno and a subsequent single up the middle for Bernardy puts the Green and Gold once again on top with a 6-5 score.
 
In a true tribute to the skills of both teams, the Indians would make their way back once again. A single in the top half of inning number six drove in another pair of runs. A single in the top of the following inning added one more run to the game, making the score 8-6 in favor of the Indians. 

Another late run would come for Catawba, giving the game its final 9-6 score.

Playing their final collegiate game on Friday, the Broncos' seniors represented the university well throughout their career. That group includes Cooksey, Munoz, Garlick, Boyle, Philp, Brennen Salgado, J.J. Franklin and Chris Powell.

Head coach Randy Betten, having completed his fifth season with the program, now owns a career coaching win percentage of .633. That puts him at No. 22 on the leaderboard among active Division II coaches.

Through the D-II World Series in North Carolina, Garlick went 12-for-23 at the plate with five extra-base hits and eight runs batted in. He'll be among several Broncos awaiting the Major League Baseball Draft on June 8 to June 10.