Grand Canyon takes Friday night game against Cal Poly

Casey Bloomquist fell behind a number of hitters and didn’t get a lot of help from his defense in Cal Poly’s Friday night loss. By Owen Main

Grand Canyon beat Cal Poly 10-4 in the Mustangs’ home opener on Friday night in front of over 2,100 fans at Baggett Stadium.

Cal Poly led 2-0 and 3-1 before Grand Canyon rattled off four runs in the fifth inning, two in the seventh, and three in the ninth.

Three of the six key runs in the fifth and seventh innings were unearned — something that might be a pattern for this Mustangs team.

Cal Poly also took another injury hit in the game. Mark Mathias, the team’s best player has been out all season while recovering from labrum surgery. On Friday, their biggest power threat and number-three hitter Brian Mundell left the game with what looked like a hamstring injury.

Mundell, a former catcher in high school, has been the Mustangs’ designated hitter during is first two years in San Luis Obispo. This season, he is manning first base for the first time. On a groundout to shortstop in the top of the seventh, Mundell stretched at first base and game up hobbling noticeably. In the bottom of the inning, Mundell grounded out and went down in a heap passing first base. He was replaced at first base by John Schuknecht and Tommy Pluschkell replaced Schuknecht at third base.

The loss of Mundell for an undetermined amount of time is a bigger blow than any home opening loss could ever be. The Tribune’s JD Scroggin called it “potentially serious.” I agree.

Photos by Owen Main