SAN MARCOS, Calif. - Cal Poly Pomona trotted out to a 6-1 lead after two innings and hung on to defeat Cal State San Marcos, 7-4, and gain the split of a four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series on Sunday afternoon at CSUSM Baseball Field.

With the win, CPP improves to 23-14 overall and 15-12 in the CCAA. CSUSM falls to 13-20 overall and 7-16 in league play. The Broncos had taken Friday's opener, 4-2, before the Cougars produced a pair of walk-off triumphs to sweep the Saturday twin bill, 5-4 and 8-7.

The Broncos jumped on the scoreboard with four runs in the first, getting back-to-back-to-back one-out base hits to get things rolling. Johnny Pappas' double into the left field corner preceded a Nin Burns II single and a two-run double to the gap in right center by Marco Malerba. With runners at the corners and two gone, Jacob Lopez's first-pitch double pushed the CPP advantage to 4-0.

A two-out rally pulled a run back for CSUSM in the home half, but Noel Soto got Sean McGrew to pop out to Malerba at first with Cougars at the corners to limit the damage.

With Broncos at first and second through a pair of walks and two away in the second, Burns II lined an opposite-field RBI single to right, and a double steal with Pappas swiping home plate made it a 6-1 game. It was a team-best 10th stolen base for Burns II on 10 attempts.

A one-out double ultimately led to a sacrifice fly in the third for the hosts. The home sixth began with another double, with CSUSM adding two scores to pull to within two at 6-4.

CPP added an insurance run in the ninth on Darius Price's fourth home run of 2023, a two-out solo shot to left on an 0-2 pitch from the first-year Bronco second baseman.

Senior closer Eric Romo came on in the ninth and got three groundouts to Tyler Chaffee at third base to secure his team-leading third save.

Soto evened his win-loss record at 2-2 by throwing 6.0 solid innings and allowing four runs on a season-high nine hits, one walk and a hit-by-pitch. The senior right-hander struck out one, posted one 1-2-3 frame in the fifth, all on the infield, and benefitted from two double plays.

Matthew Henry handled a scoreless and no-hit seventh and eighth frames while walking two and fanning a pair of Cougars. The senior southpaw got out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh by dialing up an inning-ending 4-6-3 twin killing. He was perfect in the eighth.

Malerba went 2-for-5 with two doubles, one run and two RBI, while Lopez was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Pappas wound up 1-for-4 with a double, walk, two runs and a steal. Burns II finished 2-for-5 with a run scored, RBI and a stolen base.

CPP had five doubles, four steals and three double plays as a team. The steal and double play totals were season highs, with the five doubles the Broncos' second-best single-game mark of 2023.

For CSUSM, starter Josh Kim (3-4) gave up six runs, all earned, over just 1.2 innings, with four hits and three walks against him. The redshirt sophomore right-hander struck out one.

CPP returns home to Scolinos Field one final time this season for another four-game CCAA series next weekend, entertaining Stanislaus State. The matinee opener on Friday, April 21, is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch. The Saturday doubleheader will have a noon start.
 
Bronco Bits

• Cal Poly Pomona is 378-233 (.619) overall and 268-172 (.609) in CCAA play under 13th-year head coach Randy Betten.
• CPP is 7-9 on the road in 2023, and 6-2 wearing its green jerseys.
• Noel Soto made his eighth mound appearance of 2023, all starts.
• Marco Malerba's two doubles give him a team-leading 11.
• Sophomore Bronco rightfielder AJ Nimeh entered this series with zero walks on the year but drew eight bases on balls in San Marcos, including a career-high three today for the second time in this series.
• Nimeh earned his ninth start of 2023 and seventh in right field (fifth straight).
• Eric Romo now has 12 saves as a three-year CPP closer.
• The Broncos are 20-4 against CSUSM in the all-time series that started in 2016, including 8-4 in San Marcos.
• CPP was receiving votes outside of the top 30 of Monday's latest Collegiate Baseball Division II poll.

 
All home games and most away contests will stream live online via the CCAA Network at www.ccaanetwork.com. You may also download the CCAA Network app on your iOS or Android smartphone, tablet, or through web streaming devices such as Amazon Fire, Roku or Apple TV. For $9.95 per month, subscribers will have access to all CCAA broadcasts, both live and on-demand, for one low monthly price. Over half of each monthly subscription purchase will go directly back to the CCAA Athletic Department of your choice to support the student-athlete experience. Sign-ups are available right now at each universities' network portal. Just go to CCAAnetwork.com, select your favorite team at the top and the 'click to subscribe.'

CPP Athletics has gone cashless! Tickets are on sale now for all CPP baseball home games. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online prior to coming to campus at broncoathletics.com/tickets or by downloading the HomeTown Fan app on your smartphone or tablet. New this year, only debit and credit cards will be accepted at the box office for admission. Limited concession items will be on sale on-site as well, and the concession stand will also only accept debit and credit cards.

Follow the Broncos all season long by going to broncoathletics.com/followus and sign up to receive breaking news and final score updates throughout the year.