POMONA, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay baseball team powered its way to a 7-4 road victory over 18th-ranked Cal Poly Pomona on Friday in the opener of the four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series at Scolinos Field.
Marcus Williams hit a two-run homer, and
Rudy Navarro notched a four-hit day to lead a Pioneer offense that racked up 12 hits en route to winning its second straight contest.
Senior
Michael Pope got the start for East Bay, opposing Bronco hurler Chris Powell. After the Pioneers left the bases loaded in the top of the first, the home team struck first on a two-out RBI single by Jacob Bernardy in the bottom of the second.
Pope settled down after that and managed to hang four straight zeroes on the scoreboard. He escaped a couple of jams, stranding multiple runners in the fourth and fifth innings.
In the top of the fourth, the Pioneers grabbed the lead for good. After a one-out walk to
Jason Fletcher, Williams put CSUEB on the board with a two-run blast, his first of the season.
They extended their lead in the fifth when Wise led off with a single, and
Kelly Starnes walked.
Ryan Kochan moved them over with a sacrifice bunt, then Navarro hooked a double down the left field line to make it 4-1 Pioneers.
In the top of the seventh, Kochan and Navarro hit back-to-back singles with one out, then an outfield error by Pomona brought in the fifth East Bay run.
The Broncos answered back against Pope in the bottom of the seventh. After a one-out walk, Kyle Garlick hit his league-leading 12th home run of the season to draw CPP within two runs. At that point, head coach
Bob Ralston went to the bullpen for left-hander
Angel Lara. The Pioneer closer immediately gave up a double to Nick Cooksey, but escaped the inning to avoid further damage.
In the bottom of the eighth, Pomona started the frame with a single and a double, threatening to tie the game. Lara retired the next three hitters, but a run-scoring ground out made it a 5-4 ballgame.
The home team seemed to have the momentum, but the Pioneers added on two huge insurance runs in the top of the ninth, with Navarro right in the middle of it again. He led off with a single, then Fletcher reached on an error, and Williams walked to load the bases.
Myles Babitt then found some open space in centerfield for an RBI single. After a pitching change,
Ryan Wheat lifted a fly ball to left field with one out. The left fielder caught it, but fell down, allowing Fletcher to score and put the Pioneers up by three.
Pomona put two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth, but Lara retired the next three batters to close out the victory and earn his fourth save. He allowed five hits and a run in 2.2 innings of relief.
Pope was credited with his second victory after allowing three runs on six hits with five walks and four punchouts in 6.1 innings.
Navarro finished 4-for-6 and knocked in a pair of runs. Kochan went 2-for-4, and Wise had two hits, a double, a run, and his team-leading 12th stolen bag of the season. Fletcher reached base four times, going 1-for-3 at the plate and drawing two walks.
Cal State East Bay (9-23, 6-19 CCAA) and No. 18 Cal Poly Pomona (25-10, 17-8 CCAA) continue their series on Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled for 11 a.m.
