Imhoff K’s 14, Cal Poly wins opener 3-0

Matt Imhof was dealing on Friday night at Baggett Stadium. By Owen Main

Facing the 17th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats in the season opener, Cal Poly ace Matt Imhof struck-out 14 batters in seven-plus innings and combined with closer Reed Reilly for a two-hit shutout.

For San Luis Obispo fans of the 29th-ranked team in the country, Cal Poly started their season off just about as well as home fans could have hoped.

Mustang senior Jimmy Allen made Kansas State pay for some defensive mistakes and a balk by Wildcats pitcher Landon Busch. Allen, who chose to come back to Cal Poly after being drafted last year, singled to center field to score Tim Wise and Jordan Ellis. Freshman second-baseman Mark Mathias drew a bases-loaded walk for the only other run of the game.

The real story, though was Imhof. Prior to the game, the junior southpaw was one of 60 players to be put on the Golden Spikes Award watch list. The Golden Spikes Award is given to the best amateur baseball player in the country. Imhof is the first Mustang to be put on that list.

According to Joshua D. Scroggin of the Tribune, Imhof’s 14 strikeouts match a Cal Poly Division 1 record. The all-time record though is 19.

Imhof has a long way to go to the all-time record. Dick Jacquier had 19 in a 28-1 win over Westmont in 1950. #CPBats @BigWestBaseball

— Joshua D. Scroggin (@SLOcollegebeat) February 15, 2014

Even without being an all-time Cal Poly record, Imhof’s performance was sparkling. With the nice weather on the Central Coast, fans at the last two games of the weekend in SLO should be the envy of college baseball lovers who are still digging out of the snow in most of the country.

Photos by Owen Main