Long Beach State University
6-13, 1-5
Cal Poly
13-6, 6-0
Cal Poly Defeats The Dirtbags In Series Finale
3/16/2025 4:16:00 PM | Baseball
Briseno posts two hits for Long Beach State
After turning back Dirtbags' scoring threats in the first and second innings, the Mustangs broke the seal in the top of the third when Zach Daudet hit a two-run home run with one out. Alejandro Garza's two-out RBI single scored Ryan Fenn to make it 3-0.
The Mustangs increased the lead in the top of the fourth when Cal Poly took advantage of a Long Beach State leadoff error to score an unearned run on a Cam Hoiland grounder to short that drove in Casey Murray Jr.
Dante Vachini led off the top of the fifth with a home run. Murray Jr. matched Vachini, beginning the sixth with a homer to left. The Mustangs added one more run to go up 7-0. Braxton Thomas hit Cal Poly's fourth home run, an opposite-field shot down the left-field line in the top of the eighth.
Cal Poly starter Ethan Marmie limited the Dirtbags to five hits through the first seven innings. He gave way to Reece Bueno to start the eighth. Bueno hit Efren Ortega to begin his stint. Trotter Enright reached on an opposite-field single to left. Bueno settled in, retiring the next three LBSU batters to end the inning.
Nate Castellon plated the ninth run with two outs in the top of the ninth with a double that scored Wyatt King. Troy Cooper became the third Mustangs pitcher in the bottom of the ninth. He hit Jake Evans with his first pitch. Matt Toomey reached on a chopper to short, allowing Evans to advance to second. Easton Elliot grounded into a double play as Evans went to third.
Reid Montgomery walked to give the Dirtbags runners on the corners. The game ended unusually; Ortega worked the count to 3-1 against Cooper. Thinking ball three was ball four, Montgomery attempted to take second. Cal Poly catcher Jack Collins threw him out to end the game.
Thomas led Cal Poly (13-6, 6-0 Big West) by going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Dylan Kordic and Castellon both recorded two hits for the Mustangs. Armando Briseno was 2-for-2 to pace Long Beach State.
Long Beach State (6-13, 1-5 Big West) host LMU (12-8) Tuesday night. Coverage on ESPN+ begins at 6 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Marmie, Ethan (3-1)
L: Kahalekai, Ka’imi (0-4)
Batting:
2B: Fenn, Ryan 1 ; Kordic, Dylan 1 ; Castellon, Nate 1 ; Thomas, Braxton 1
HR: Vachini, Dante 1 ; Murray Jr., Casey 1 ; Thomas, Braxton 1 ; Daudet, Zach 1
RBI: Vachini, Dante 1 ; Garza, Alejandro 1 ; Murray Jr., Casey 1 ; Castellon, Nate 1 ; Hoiland, Cam 1 ; Thomas, Braxton 2 ; Daudet, Zach 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Vachini, Dante 1 ; Fenn, Ryan 1 ; Murray Jr., Casey 2 ; King, Wyatt 1 ; Kordic, Dylan 1 ; Castellon, Nate 1 ; Thomas, Braxton 1 ; Daudet, Zach 1
HBP: Murray Jr., Casey 1
Base Running:
SB: Elliot, Easton 1
CS: Montgomery, Reid 1
HBP: Champagne, Alex 1 ; Evans, Jake 1 ; Ortega, Efren 1
