Cal Poly Baseball picked up a mid-week non-conference 9-3 win over the Santa Clara Broncos on Tuesday, April 16 at Baggett Stadium.
Fresh off of the heels of a walk-off win on Monday evening, the Mustang (21-14, 11-4 Big West) offense picked up right where they left off, putting the Broncos (18-16, 6-6 WCC) in a hole early.
After sophomore starting pitcher Charlie Royle pitched a scoreless first inning, the offense was immediately ignited with a leadoff home run by senior center fielder Jake Steels.
This was just the beginning of a four-run inning for the Mustangs, who had six base runners reach base in the frame, knocking the Bronco starter out of the game after only recording two outs.
Junior outfielder Dylan Kordic picked up an RBI in the inning with a double to the opposite field gap. Kordic was doing damage throughout the game, adding a two-run blast in the third inning.
The left-handed Kordic has sparingly faced left-handed pitching this year, but that is sure to change after taking a southpaw deep in this one.
Kordic has made sure to stay ready for these matchups.
“[I’m] constantly working in practice seeing lefty stuff off the machine,” Kordic said. “I just got to be ready whenever my name gets called.”
The Broncos got a run back in the top of the third inning, the only run tallied to Royle’s line.
Kordic’s homerun in the bottom half of the inning made it 6-1, giving the Mustang bullpen some insurance. Royle’s departure came after the third and manager Larry Lee used a new reliever for every inning from there on out.
No matter who was at the plate for the Mustangs, good at-bats were consistent throughout, passing the torch to the next man up.
“Offense is contagious,” Kordic said. “When you see guys before you get it done, it just motivates you to branch off [from them].”
The Mustangs’ next rally would come in the sixth inning, sparked by a solo shot from infielder Zach Daudet, the transfers’ first hit as a Mustang.
Junior catcher Ryan Stafford tripled in Steels for run number eight before second baseman Ryan Fenn singled to make it 9-1.
The Bronco offense added two runs in the top of the ninth, but freshman righthander Paul Montgomery was brought in for the final out to shut the door.
After a slow start to the season, Cal Poly baseball has found a rhythm, winning nine of their last 12 contests.
The Mustangs sit tied for first place in the Big West Conference with No. 17 UC Irvine and will look to take sole possession of first in their next conference matchup.
A Big West title is well within reach, and they will be tested by Big West Conference foes Hawai’i in a three-game weekend series that begins on Friday, April 19, in Manoa.