Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. -- Two big innings were more than enough for visiting Cal Poly on Thursday afternoon as the Mustangs sent 13 batters to the plate in the fourth to erase an early UC Davis lead and help lead them to a 12-5 win over the Aggies in the opener of a three-game Big West Conference series at Dobbins Stadium.

The loss extended UC Davis' losing skid to six games, as the Aggies fell to 28-26-1 overall and 7-15 in Big West play. Cal Poly won its seventh straight game over its conference rival, improving to 27-25 overall and 14-8 in league action.

Seniors Austin March and Kevin Barker each finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and the RBI to pave UC Davis, the latter giving his team the early lead in the second. Back-to-back singles by March and Izaak Silva led-off the inning, and John Williams sacrificed both into scoring position. That brought up Barker, who cued a single through the infield on the right side, enough to score March for the 1-0 lead before a double play ended the threat.

The score remained that way until the fourth when the Mustangs got one-out singles by Brian Mundell and Zack Zehner, and loaded the bases with a walk to Brett Barbier. Starter Max Cordy (8-5) was a step away of getting out of the inning, inducing Jordan Ellis into a ground ball to short, but the Mustang center fielder beat out the double play attempt, bringing home Mundell to make it 1-1.

Another walk to Ryan Drobny reloaded the bases and Cordy almost got off the hook, but a throwing error on a ground ball by John Schuknecht extended the inning, allowing two runs to score and opening the floodgates for Cal Poly. The next four Mustangs reached base, including RBI hits that plated four more runs, handing them an 8-1 advantage before a strikeout by Justin Mullins in relief ended the inning.

Bolsters by another big inning in which Cal Poly sent nine to the plate as part of a four-run sixth, Casey Bloomquist (8-2) retired 11 straight Aggies from the third to the sixth before walking Tino Lipson with two outs, and didn't allow a hit until March's lead-off single in the seventh.

UC Davis, which scored four runs in the ninth to nearly rally from a five-run deficit in the finale at Long Beach State on Sunday, again showed life in the late innings, loading the bases in the eighth thanks to Barker's lead-off single, a walk to Evan Heptig, and an error on a ball hit by pinch-hitter Mason Novak. After a strikeout for the first out, Lipson laced a single through the right side that scored a pair when it was misplayed in the outfield to make it 12-3.

Nick Lynch followed with an RBI ground ball to third and March kept the Aggies' streak of 33 consecutive games with an extra-base hit alive with a double down the line in right, scoring Lipson to cap the scoring. March's double was the 125th of the season for UC Davis, tying the school single-season record set by the 2003 squad. The Aggies mounted another rally in the ninth, loading the bases with two outs thanks to a single, a fielder's choice, and a hit batter, but reliever Erich Uelmen caught UC Davis looking at strike three to end the game.

Cal Poly out-hit the Aggies by a 16-8 count -- all 16 of its hits going for singles -- as six of the Mustangs' nine starters finished with multiple hits. UC Davis, which led the Big West in double plays entering the week, turned three more on the day to end threats in the second, eighth, and ninth innings.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Friday (May 22) at 2:30 p.m., as senior right-hander Spencer Koopmans is scheduled to take the mound for the Aggies.

Cal Poly 12, UC Davis 5 (May 21, 2015 at Davis, Calif.)
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Cal Poly............ 000 804 000  - 12 16  3      (27-25, 14-8 BIG WEST)
UC Davis............ 010 000 040  -  5  8  2      (28-26-1, 7-15 BIG WEST)
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Pitchers: Cal Poly - Bloomquist, Casey; Uelmen, Erich(9) and Barbier, Brett; Kron, Austin. UC Davis - Cordy, Max; Mullins, Justin (4); Hamby, Nat (7) and Silva, Izaak; Ontiveros, Elijah; Allen, Justin; Aguiar, Alex.
Win-Bloomquist, Casey(8-2)  Loss-Cordy, Max(8-5)  T-2:32  A-527