It’s possible that this Friday is the last time fans will see Casey Bloomquist pitch for Cal Poly at Baggett Stadium. By Owen Main

After winning the series opener on Friday night, Cal Poly dropped the final two games of the weekend set against UC Irvine to fall a full three games back of the conference front-running Anteaters.

Coming into the weekend, a prevailing thought was that a series sweep would get Cal Poly into a possible scenario to contend for the Big West title in the final weeks. Instead, the Mustangs lost two straight television games, dropped to fifth place in the Big West, and for all intents and purposes saw their chance at the postseason slip away.

The way the series went shouldn’t surprise fans who have watched the Mustangs all season. Casey Bloomquist did what they needed him to on Friday night and Cal Poly showed that it can play with any of the best teams on any given day. Cal Poly’s series’ against both UCSB and Cal State Fullerton — the two other teams contending at the moment — went much the same way. After Cal Poly split the first two games, things came down to Sunday. Once again, the series clincher that was so automatic for Larry Lee’s team was elusive.

Last season, Sundays were virtually automatic. Casey Bloomquist’s break-out All-American season was a revelation and a large part of the Mustang’s historic 2014. This year has been a lot more difficult. Sundays and mid-week games have been a revolving door of starters and relievers as Lee and pitching coach Thomas Eager have tried to find a winning formula. It’s not been easy. Cal Poly is now 2-10 in Sunday games. If you count the one game they played at TCU, started by Bloomquist, the Mustangs are 2-11.

With the loss, Cal Poly dropped to 1-5 in Sunday games in conference with two weekends left. There might be scenarios where Cal Poly could go 6-0 over the final two weeks and have a chance, but I’m not sure even Mustang fans are holding out hope at this point.

One fan I talked to is keeping the long view. Cal Poly is trying to build a perennial contender, sure. But college baseball, especially the recruiting aspect of it, can be a fickle beast. He made the point that Logan Webb, who was committed to Cal Poly this season, was instead drafted by the San Francisco Giants and chose to turn pro. I don’t know a lot about how good he was — he’s only thrown four inning in rookie ball so far this year — but I presume he might have been a good Sunday starter for the Mustangs.

For many, this season has been really disappointing. I guess I’m ready to be patient, especially with the talent the team lost a year ago. If a team plays as poorly as it seems Cal Poly has this season, has an above .500 record (10-8) in conference while losing four one-run games, I’m going to try not to overreact. Those one-run games are won that the Mustangs won a year ago, and I guess you can’t win them all.

I’m thankful for the individual players I have been able to see this season. Next year, Mark Mathias, Brian Mundell, and Peter VanGansen are all likely to be gone along with Jordan Ellis, Zack Zehner, and Taylor Chris. Bloomquist will be someone I’ll be keeping an eye on. If he goes early enough, he could turn pro. Cal Poly could also really use his talents next year in their rotation.

Next weekend, Cal Poly hosts UC Riverside in their final three home games of the season. Troy Percival is the Highlanders’ head coach. It also might be the last time you can see some guys you’ve been meaning to since last year. In baseball, there are lots of good reasons to come out to the park, no matter what time of year it is.

With both Mark Mathias and Brian Mundell in the lineup, players like Zack Zehner (pictured) and Peter Van Gansen are able to spread the load of carrying the Mustang lineup. By Owen Main

After being shut-out in the middle two games of their series with Sacramento State, Cal Poly got first baseman Brian Mundell back and salvaged a series split with a 6-4 victory.

Mundell, who hadn’t played int he field in about three weeks with a hamstring injury, hit two home runs and drove in four in the 6-4 Cal Poly victory that improved Cal Poly’s record to 6-11 on the season.

Along with Mundell’s two home runs, three things stood out from the Sunday game.

Pitching backwards?

Larry Lee started Michael Gomez for the first time on Sunday afternoon. The freshman from Upland gave up four runs in three innings before giving way to Justin Calomeni, who has been the Sunday starter prior to this weekend.

Calomeni responded by pitching maybe his best game of the year. The sophomore righty gave up no runs, scattered three hits, and struck-out five and walked just one while pitching the final six innings of the game.

I kind of like the idea of experimenting with various pitchers given that Cal Poly is struggling to find consistency this year. I also like it with regard to the Times Through the Order Penalty, which is documented in the majors.

Mundell and Mathias in the lineup together

For the first time this season, Brian Mundell and Mark Mathias appeared in the lineup at the same time. Mundell, who has been the designated hitter each of the past two seasons, might have been able to do it again as he nurses his hamstring. But Mathias is still rehabbing from labrum surgery and so Mundell played in the field.

He didn’t seem to mind.

They win when they don’t make mistakes

Cal Poly hasn’t had a stellar defensive team to date this season. The few times they don’t make errors in games, they seem to be a lot more successful.

Sunday was just the fourth time in 17 games that Cal Poly has made zero errors. They are 3-1 in those games.

Trojans are coming

Next up for Cal Poly is USC this weekend. The Trojans are one of the best teams on the West coast this year and come in sporting a 17-3 record. They are also 12-time NCAA champions. The two teams split two games in Los Angeles last season on a rainy weekend.

Photos (from Saturday night) by Owen Main

For the Tuesday crowd at Baggett Stadium, it was a sight for sore eyes. Cal Poly has their All-American back, and for maybe the first time this year, their lineup seemed dangerous in a 13-2 home win over Cal State Bakersfield.

A preseason All-American, Mark Mathias is a sight for sore Mustang-fan eyes. By Owen Main

#12 is back

Mathias, the reigning Big West Field Player of the Year, went 2-4 in the game, including an RBI double. His presence at the top of the Cal Poly lineup does a few things for a team that lost their most physical hitter in Brian Mundell last Friday. The first-baseman tweaked a hamstring and will be out for an indeterminate amount of time.

Without Mundell or Mathias in the lineup, Larry Lee was left trying to patch holes at multiple defensive positions and in the batting order. Last weekend against Grand Canyon, the Mustangs scored just nine runs in three games, including just five runs in two games without Mundell.

Mathias’ return doesn’t do anything for Cal Poly’s defense. Yet. Surgery on his torn labrum probably means he won’t play his usual second base until conference play starts at the earliest. Cal Poly has made 19 errors in their first eight games this season and has yet to play an error-less game.

Perhaps the return of Mathias to the lineup will take some pressure off of young or inexperienced fielders as Cal Poly works on consistently putting up more runs.

Andrew Bernstein looked solid in his Baggett Stadium debut. By Owen Main

Bernstein shines in home debut

Freshman Andrew Bernstein looked sharp in his first start at Baggett Stadium on Tuesday night. The right-hander pitched seven innings, giving up just two runs on three hits. He struck out eight Roadrunners and walked only two.

The turning point of Bernstein’s game might have been in the first inning on Tuesday. Freshman second baseman Alec Smith couldn’t come up with lead-off ground ball. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position with just one out, Bernstein struck out Bakersfield’s number-three and number-four hitter to end the inning.

Cal Poly pitchers haven’t been put in great positions this year. Poor fielding has given other teams second chances. But other teams have found ways to take advantage of those mistakes more often than not. Bernstein’s ability to clamp down in the first inning and pick his second baseman up is a good sign.

Back to Texas

Cal Poly will head back to Texas this week. Two weeks ago, they were swept by Baylor in Waco. On Friday, they’ll start a series against TCU in Fort Worth — weather permitting. Right now, there is a 40-plus percent chance of snow or rain on all three days.

The temperature on those days? Well, it’ll be a balmy 33 degrees on Friday, 38 on Saturday, and 56 on Sunday.

Bundle up, guys.

Photos by Owen Main