Posted on Mon, Jul. 26, 2010

The Santa Maria Valley Packers defeated the San Luis Obispo Blues 8-2 in a summer collegiate baseball game Monday night at SLO Stadium.

Santa Maria (23-17, 16-14 California Collegiate League) got a home run each from Billy Stitz and John Hay.

Dylan Gavin, meanwhile, went 1 for 4 and drove in both runs for the Blues (27-16, 21-12 CCL), who took two of three from the surging Santa Barbara Foresters last week and opened the day moving to No. 15 nationally in the PerfectGame.org rankings.

Colin O’Connell (2-2) took the loss, giving up six earned runs on nine hits through the first four innings. Mission Prep grad Dylan Morrow pitched a hitless eighth inning for the Blues, collecting one strikeout, before former San Luis Obispo High standout Robbie Nadalsky relieved him to toss a shutout ninth.

Haniger named West Coast Baseball League Player of the Week

Cal Poly outfielder Mitch Haniger was named the West Coast Baseball League Player of the Week.

Haniger, a rising sophomore who played summer ball last year with the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, earned the honor after lifting the Corvallis (Ore.) Knights to a 6-0 week, tying Bend for first place in the league.

During the tear, Haniger — the reigning Big West Conference Freshman of the Year for the Mustangs — batted .368 with two home runs and five RBI.