Score: UC Davis 2, Cal Poly 4
Winning Pitcher: Griffin Naess (3-2)
Save: Tanner Sagouspe (4)
Losing Pitcher: Noel Valdez (2-3)
Location: Davis, Calif.
Records: UC Davis 12-11 (3-4), Cal Poly 16-8 (7-0)
 
The short story: Cal Poly used timely hitting and strong bullpen work to outlast UC Davis 4-2 in Friday night's series opener at Dobbins Stadium. The Mustangs scored in three different innings while two relievers combined for 3.1 scoreless frames after starter Griffin Naess departed with a 4-1 lead. UC Davis' Tyler Howard provided the offensive highlight with a solo home run and a double. With inclement weather forecast, the teams will play a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. PT, with game two following approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of the opener.
 
FIRST PITCH

• Howard's power surge marked his fourth multi-hit game of conference play, going 2-for-4 with a home run and double while accounting for both UC Davis runs
• Braydon Wooldridge stayed hot at the plate, going 1-for-4 with an RBI double to right field
• UC Davis' bullpen kept the game close as Rowen Barnes, Carter Speights and Mason Lerma combined for 4.2 scoreless innings
• Cal Poly's Griffin Naess was lights out through 5.2 innings (4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) before handing off to a bullpen that allowed just two hits over 3.1 innings
• Four Mustangs recorded multi-hit games, including Alejandro Garza (3-for-5) and Zach Daudet (3-for-3)

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Cal Poly struck first when Casey Murray's RBI single through the left side scored Ryan Fenn to make it 1-0
• The Mustangs got another run with Dante Vachini's RBI single extending the lead to 2-0 after Daudet's leadoff double
• Howard put a charge into one in the third inning to get UC Davis on the board with a solo shot down the RF line that just seemed keep carrying to opposite field
• The Mustangs however answered with two runs on Jack Collins' sacrifice fly and Dylan Kordic's RBI double
• In the sixth inning, Howard's double set the stage as Wooldridge traded places with him via an RBI double to right-center, cutting the deficit to 4-2
• UC Davis threatened in the ninth with back-to-back baserunners, but Tanner Sagouspe, who came in relief with one out in the inning, induced a game-ending 5-4-3 double play, giving Cal Poly their seventh straight Big West win

UP NEXT: UC Davis and Cal Poly will now decide the series Saturday, playing a double-header with the first game scheduled for 1:00 p.m. PT, and the final game of the series set to take place 45 minutes following the conclusion.
 
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