SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Cal Poly Pomona baseball split their doubleheader on Saturday, putting an end to their eight-game losing streak. With the win and the loss, they are now 9-23 on the season and 6-17 in CCAA play.
 
 
Game 1: CPP 6, CSUSM 10
The Broncos showed resilience at the plate in the first game of the doubleheader, tallying 10 hits and scoring in five different innings. However, three defensive errors and a big second inning by the Cougars made the difference in the game.
 
Cal Poly Pomona opened the scoring in the second inning when Anthony Gibbons came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Marco Malerba. But San Marcos responded by pushing across five runs in the bottom half of the frame, aided by a throwing error that extended the rally.
 
The Broncos battled back in the third when Johnny Pappas' sacrifice fly brought home Christian Gomez, followed by Beau Betten's RBI single to cut the deficit to 5-3. Pappas struck again in the fourth, driving in another run to bring the Broncos within two.
 
Robbie Treto's RBI double in the fifth made it a one-run game at 6-5, but another costly defensive error in the bottom half helped San Marcos extend its lead. The Cougars added two more runs in the sixth on a home run, bringing their total to 10 runs in the game. Clay Porter provided a spark for the Broncos with a solo homer in the seventh, his first as a Bronco, but CPP couldn't muster another rally.

Starting pitcher Dylan Esquival took the loss, his second of the season, after allowing five earned runs in 4.1 innings. Despite a solid relief effort from Sean Suriyaniel, who has allowed just one earned run this season, the early struggles proved too much to overcome as the Broncos lost their eighth straight game. The team's eight straight losses is the most during Betten's tenure as head coach at CPP.
 
 
Game 2: CPP 6, CSUSM 4
The Broncos responded in the second game of the doubleheader, defeating the Cougars 6-4 for their ninth win of the season.
 
San Marcos struck first in the bottom of the first inning on a solo home run to left-center, giving the Cougars an early 1-0 lead. However, the Broncos were able to plate one of their own in the second as Christian Gomez singled home Sebastian Arguelles, tying the game at 1-1.
 
The Broncos kept the momentum going in the third when Marco Malerba delivered an RBI single to right field, plating Johnny Pappas (career run number 164) and putting Cal Poly Pomona ahead 2-1. The offense exploded in the fourth, with Gomez launching a solo homer to right and Julian Angulo doubling home two more runs, stretching the lead to 5-1.
 
Cal State San Marcos battled back, capitalizing on a wild pitch to score a run in the fourth and adding two more in the sixth with a solo homer and an RBI triple, cutting the Broncos' lead to 5-4. Senior Marco Malerba provided a crucial insurance run in the seventh, belting a solo homer down the right-field line to push the score to 6-4.
 
On the mound, Anthony Vasquez delivered 4.2 strong innings in his first career start, allowing just one earned run while striking out six and earning the win. Andrew Campbell entered in the final frame and shut the door with a scoreless inning, striking out two and earning the first save of his collegiate career.
 
The Broncos tallied 10 hits in the win, with Gomez, Angulo, and Malerba leading the charge with two RBI apiece.
 
 
Up Next
The Broncos look for a series split in the finale tomorrow, March 30^th, with first pitch set for 12:00 PM.
 
 
Bronco Bits

• The Broncos are now 25-8 all-time against Cal State San Marcos, including 6-4 in their past 10 games. They average 8.27 runs scored per game against the Cougars.
• Randy Betten is now 425-289 (.595) as head coach of the Broncos and 302-209 (.591) in CCAA play.
• Betten is now 22 CCAA wins away from tying John Scolinos (324) for the most in program history.
• Saturday was the first time the Broncos had lost eight straight games during Betten's tenure as head coach.
• The Broncos have the second-toughest strength of schedule in all of NCAA Division II, with their opponents going 405-218 (.650) entering the weekend.
• Record Watch – Johnny Pappas (164) is now just four runs away from tying Tom Weeks (1984-87) for the most runs scored in program history at 168.