NEWHALL, Calif. – Cal Poly Pomona saw an early lead slip away as The Master's stormed back with a seventh-inning surge, resulting in a 9-6 loss on Friday afternoon at Lou Herwaldt Stadium. The Broncos fall to 3-4 to open the season and are now 0-1 on the road.
The Broncos jumped out to an early advantage in the third inning, ignited by an RBI sacrifice fly from Marco Malerba to bring home Johnny Pappas. Moments later, Anthony Gibbons delivered a three-run blast to center field, plating Julian Angulo and Dominic Porter to give Cal Poly Pomona a 4-0 lead.
Porter extended the advantage in the fifth inning with a two-run homer to right center, his first home run as a Bronco. The Broncos seemed in control with a 6-0 lead, but The Master's responded in the bottom half of the inning. A five-run rally from the Mustangs, fueled by an RBI single and a two-run double, cut the Broncos' lead to just one run. A defensive miscue in the frame also contributed to the Mustangs' momentum.
After Colt Tucker delivered a scoreless sixth inning, his first outing at CPP, The Master's capitalized in the seventh, tying the game on an RBI double before pushing across another on a single. TMU capped off the rally with a two-run homer, pushing the Mustangs ahead 9-6.
Despite a strong start from Chris Fields, who did not allow a hit in his first four innings of work while striking out seven, a challenging fifth inning proved costly as he finished with three earned runs. Freshman Anthony Cosme (0-1) was charged with the loss after surrendering four earned runs in two innings of relief.
Offensively, the Broncos managed only four hits on the afternoon, with Porter and Gibbons providing the biggest blows via their home runs. Pappas also contributed with a double and reached base four times.
Up Next
The Broncos and Mustangs will conclude their series on Saturday, February 15th, with a doubleheader beginning at 10:30 AM.
Bronco Bits
- The Broncos are now 4-9-1 all-time against The Master's. Friday's game was the two team's first meeting since the 2003 season.
- Randy Betten is now 419-270 (.608) as head coach of the Broncos.
- The last time the Broncos were 3-4 to open the season was 2020.
Latest Men's Baseball
- Esquival Spins Complete Game Shutout in Doubleheader SplitDylan Esquival threw a complete game shutout in game two of the doubleheader on Saturday, helping the Broncos improve to 5-7 on the season and 2-1 in CCAA play. By winning at least one of the two games on Saturday, the team has secured at least a series split against CCAA preseason favorites Cal State Monterey Bay.
- Cal Poly Pomona Celebrates DII DayThe Cal Poly Pomona Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is proud to celebrate the third annual DII Day on February 22, 2025.
- Sixth Inning Rally Leads Broncos to Win Over No. 15 Otters in CCAA OpenerA huge sixth-inning rally propelled Cal Poly Pomona to a thrilling 9-7 comeback victory over No. 15 Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday evening at Scolinos Field. The Broncos, trailing 7-3 in the sixth, exploded for five runs to take the lead and held off the Otters late to secure the win. With the victory, CPP improves to 4-6 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.
- Broncos Celebrate 2,000th Win Under Brian SwansonThough he may not be the one holding a clipboard or writing the starting lineup, Cal Poly Pomona Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Brian Swanson, has had a massive impact on the success of Bronco Athletics since taking the helm on May 31, 2005. Thursday night marked yet another milestone in Swanson's decorated 20 years as CPP Athletics Director, as the Broncos celebrated their 2,000th win under his leadership.
- Late Mustang Heroics Stun Broncos, TwiceCal Poly Pomona baseball lost in heartbreaking fashion twice during Saturday's doubleheader, seeing The Master's hit a walk-off home run in both games of the doubleheader. With the losses, the Broncos fall to 3-6 to open the season.
- Broncos Come Up Short in Series FinaleDespite some early offensive production, Cal Poly Pomona couldn't hold off the bats of No. 10 Colorado Mesa, falling 6-4 in the series finale on Saturday afternoon. With the loss, the Broncos fall to 3-3 on the season, all six games being against nationally-ranked opponents.
