A dominant performance at home
Cal Poly opened the series with a 6‑2 win over Long Beach State on Friday, a result that not only added another series victory to the Mustangs’ record but also reinforced their grip on the top of the Big West standings.
The game was anchored by a combined three‑hitter from junior right‑hander Carson Turnquist and senior reliever Chris Downs, who together limited the Dirtbags to two runs on five hits while striking out nine batters.
Turnquist’s outing was especially noteworthy; the pitcher gave up just one earned run and a pair of hits while earning his seventh win of the season, and he fanned six batters looking in the fourth and fifth frames.
Downs, meanwhile, contributed three scoreless innings of one‑hit relief to record his second save of the year, preserving the lead after the Mustangs had built a 6‑1 advantage in the third inning.
Offensively, Cal Poly displayed a balanced attack, with six different players driving in runs. Tayman led the way with two singles and a double, while Hoiland added a pair of opposite‑field doubles, and the lineup produced a total of 12 hits.
The Mustangs have now won five straight games and improved to 26‑30 in Big West series play over the past three seasons, a streak that includes nine series wins in ten tries this year.
With a 21‑8 conference record, Cal Poly sits tied for first with UC Santa Barbara, who also posted a 15‑5 victory over UC Riverside on the same day. The final regular‑season matchup on Saturday will determine the conference tournament seed, as the fifth and final berth remains up for grabs among Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine and UC Davis.
In a pregame ceremony, the team honored its six seniors, adding an emotional backdrop to a contest that will also see junior southpaw Josh Volmerding take the mound against Long Beach State freshman right‑hander Jason Gerfers.