Series Opener Highlights
Cal Poly opened its Big West baseball series with an 11‑3 victory over Long Beach State, turning a 1‑0 early lead by the Dirtbags into a three‑run second inning that set the tone for the contest.
Ryan Tayman’s 16th home run of the season not only provided an insurance run in the eighth but also tied him for second place all‑time in single‑season homers for the Mustangs.
Starter Griffin Naess delivered a solid six‑inning performance, throwing 99 pitches, allowing three runs and nine hits while striking out eight and walking one; the outing earned him his sixth win and pushed his career total to 20 victories.
The win lifted Cal Poly to 20‑8 in conference play, keeping the team dead‑locked with UC Santa Barbara at the top of the standings; UC San Diego secured third place at 17‑11 and Hawai'i moved to 16‑13 for fourth.
Coach Steve Wood’s squad will look to build on the momentum as the series continues, with Game 2 scheduled for 6:05 p.m. on Friday and the finale set for 1:05 p.m. Saturday, offering the Mustangs a chance to climb even higher in the Big West race.