POMONA, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team (13-28, 9-22 CCAA) dropped a pair of games at Cal Poly Pomona (25-15, 20-10 CCAA) by scores of 10-7 and 7-4 on Saturday at Scolinos Field.
GAME 1: CSUSM 7 – CPP 10
TOP PERFORMERS
Demetrius Freeman – 2-for-3 | 2 R | 1 RBI | 1 2B | 1 SAC
Griffin Teisher – 2-for-5 | 1 RBI
Luke Reece – 1-for-5 | 2 RBI | 1 SB
HOW IT HAPPENED
CPP took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After Ryon Knowles singled to short, a CSUSM throwing error allowed Jacob Lopez to score the opening run.
The Broncos made it 2-0 in the bottom of the second as AJ Nimeh scored on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right by Johnny Papas with no outs.
The Cougars took their first lead of the series in the top of the third as Reece plated two runs on a single to left before Pat MacDonald Jr. brought the go-ahead run home on an RBI single to make it 3-2.
CPP retook the lead at 4-3 in the bottom of the third with a two-run homer to left by Tyler Chaffee.
CSUSM battled back to take a 6-4 lead in the top of the sixth. After a leadoff walk by Ethan Rivera, Mark Stanford hit an RBI double down the left field line. With runners on the corners and no outs, Emilio Luna laid down a sac bunt to plate Stanford. After Aiden Richert stole third, he scored as Freeman put down his own sac bunt for the Cougars’ third run of the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Knowles scored on an RBI fielder’s choice to short by Nimeh. Pappas then hit a two-run single to left to give the Broncos a 7-6 lead.
CPP added three more runs in the bottom of the eighth on a sac fly to right by Nimeh and a bases-loaded two-run single through the left side by Lopez to go up 10-6.
Down to the final three outs in the top of the ninth, Freeman hit a leadoff double down the left field line before advancing to third on a fly out. Freeman then scored the Cougars’ final run of the game on an RBI groundout by Teisher.
QUICK HITS
Bronco reliever Connor Tousignant (5-1) earned the win after tossing one scoreless inning and allowing just one hit.
Cougar reliever Trevor Schott (1-4) took the loss after allowing three runs on two hits and four walks while tallying three strikeouts in 3.2 innings.
CPP’s Eric Romo earned his fifth save of the season as he struck out two and allowed one run on a hit and a hit-by-pitch in 2.0 innings.
Reece extended his team-best hitting streak to 14 games.
GAME 2: CSUSM 4 – CPP 7 (7 inn.)
TOP PERFORMERS
Mark Stanford – 2-for-4 | 3 RBIs | 1 2B
Aiden Richert – 2-for-4 | 2 R | 1 2B
Pat MacDonald Jr. – 1-for-3 | 1 RBI | 1 R | 1 2B
HOW IT HAPPENED
CPP got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning. After a bunt single by Cesar Lopez, Jacob Lopez scored on a pitcher throwing error.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Broncos took a 3-0 lead on a two-run homer to left by Jacob Lopez.
In the bottom of the third, CPP went up 6-0 on a sac fly to center by AJ Nimeh and a two-run single up the middle by Jacob Lopez.
The Cougars plated their first run of the game in the top of the fourth on an RBI double to right center by MacDonald to cut the deficit to 6-1.
An RBI double to left center by Tyler Chaffee gave the Broncos a 7-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the seventh, Stanford delivered a bases-clearing double to right center to make it a 7-4 game, but a groundout immediately after ended the game.
QUICK HITS
CPP starter Drew Atherton (1-1) earned the win as he struck out five while allowing one run on four hits, two hit-by-pitches and a walk in 6.0 innings.
CSUSM starter Jacob Casson (2-2) took the loss as he allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits, two walks and two hit-by-pitches while tallying one strikeout in 3.0 innings.
MacDonald ran his hitting streak to 11 games - tying for the second longest by a Cougar this season.
UP NEXT
CSUSM and CPP will close out the series tomorrow at noon.
