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Johnny Pappas
Will G. MacNeil
14
Winner Cal Poly Pomona CPP 7-6, 3-2 CCAA
13
Cal St. Monterey Bay CSUMB 7-6, 3-2 CCAA
Winner
Cal Poly Pomona CPP
7-6, 3-2 CCAA
14
Final
13
Cal St. Monterey Bay CSUMB
7-6, 3-2 CCAA
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cal Poly Pomona CPP 1 1 0 0 2 0 9 1 0 14 14 3
Cal St. Monterey Bay CSUMB 3 0 1 3 0 0 2 1 3 13 16 2

W: Esquival, Dylan (2-0) L: KOTIN, Andrew (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Alex Kline, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications

Explosive Seventh Inning Propels Broncos to Win Over No. 23 Otters

SEASIDE, Calif. – A nine run seventh inning and two home runs from Bronco catcher Johnny Pappas helped propel the Broncos to a win over No. 23 Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday afternoon. With the win, Cal Poly Pomona improves to 7-6 on the season and 3-2 in CCAA play.
 
The Bronco bats were alive and well, recording their most hits of the season at 14. Pappas, Marco Malerba, Anthony Gibbons, Darius Price, and Brent Cota each contributed multi-hit performances – Gibbons leading the team going 3-for-5 in the game. Both Pappas and Cota scored three runs in the contest, while designated hitter AJ Nimeh scored two. Pappas' two home runs against the Otters was the first multi-home run game of his career.
 
Down 4-7 headed into the top of the seventh inning, the Broncos erupted to score nine runs on five hits and two errors to take a commanding 13-7 lead. This offensive outpour came on a home run from Cota, TWO doubles from Malerba in the same inning, and a three-run single from Gibbons on a critical error from the Monterey Bay center fielder that allowed him to run all the way around and score on the play.
 
With a 13-9 lead, the Broncos would add on what would prove to be a crucial insurance run in the top of the eighth inning, when Price singled to shortstop to push across Jack Sanders - giving the Broncos their 14th run of the game. Their 14 runs scored on Friday is their most of the season, and the most since March 4th of last year when they plated 15 against Cal State East Bay.
 
The Otters would respond with four runs in the final two innings, but the Broncos would narrowly hang on to secure the 14-13 win.
 
Noel Soto started on the mound for the Green & Gold, allowing six earned runs in 3.2 innings on 100 pitches. Dylan Esquival came in relief, not allowing a hit in his 2.1 innings of work. Esquival was the pitcher of record when the CPP offense exploded in the seventh inning, granting him his second win of the season to improve to 2-0. Evan Adolphus and Chris Fields teamed up for the final two innings in the game, each allowing four hits and three runs, bult ultimately getting the job done and securing the win.
 
 
Up Next
The Broncos and Otters will face off again tomorrow, March 2nd, in a game also at 12:00 PM. Due to weather, the doubleheader has been moved to Sunday, with first pitch set for 11:00 AM.
 
 
Bronco Bits
  • The Broncos are now 41-34 (.547) all-time against Cal State Monterey Bay, including 5-5 in their past 10 games.
  • Randy Betten now owns a 391-248 (.612) overall record and a 274-179 (.605) CCAA record as head coach of the Broncos.
  • The last time the Broncos were 7-6 through their first 13 games was the 2009 season. This is the 12th time in their 64-year history the Broncos have held that record through their first 13 games.