SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Cole Cabrera notched a walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to lift Cal Poly to a 3-2 win over the Columbia baseball team Friday night. Starting pitcher Josh Simpson went 5.1 innings, allowing just two runs on four hits and struck out eight for the Lions (0-5).
Jarred Zill was also superb for the Mustangs (3-9), fanning nine over six innings and allowing just one run on three hits. Michael Clark (1-1) after tossing the final three innings, allowing one run on two hits.
The Lions were held to just one hit through the first three frames before breaking through with two outs in the fourth. Liam McGill broke out of an early slump for a double and came home when Joe Engel blooped a single to right-center to give Columbia the lead, 1-0.
Simpson coasted through the first three as well, recording seven strikeouts in the first nine outs. However, Bradlee Beesley led the fourth off with a triple and a sac fly knotted things up. The leadoff batter reached again in the bottom of the sixth and a stolen base put the go-ahead run in scoring position for Beesley, who delivered another big knock to put the Mustangs in front, 2-1.
Billy Black entered the game with two on and one out and picked off a runner on second and getting a fly ball to keep it a one-run contest.
This time, Columbia answered on its next at-bats. A single and stolen base from Josh Nicoloff started the rally, and the sophomore moved to third on a ground out. With two away, first-year Austin Mowrey came through with his first career hit down the rightfield line to draw the Lions even.
The score remained 2-2 until the Mustangs wrapped things up in the ninth. Blake Wagenseller hit a ball that was just out of the reach of a diving Jack Chernow in left-center for a triple. The next batter was Cabrera, who rifled one off the wall in left to put the game away.
The Lions did have an opportunity to break through in the top of the ninth when McGill reached on an error and Jack Chernow walked to put runners on first and second with one away. Clark answered with a strikeout and induced a ground ball to first to escape the jam and put Cal Poly in position to earn the victory.
Black (0-1) finished the game, tossing 3.1 innings with a strikeout. Columbia was held to just five hits on the night. Nicoloff was 1-for-3 with a pair of stolen bases.
Beesley and Cabrera were each 2-for-4 to lead the Mustangs.
The Lions will play two more against the Mustangs on Saturday, March 9. Game one's start time was moved up to 3 p.m. eastern time with the nightcap to follow approximately 30 minutes following the opener.
