Cal Poly baseball team wins second in a row over Cal State Northridge

This is the kind of game Steven Fischback has been waiting for.

Since missing two full seasons due to a torn labrum, Fischback has been aiming to get back to the 79-strikeout, 4.55 ERA numbers he boasted his sophomore year. With his performance Saturday against Cal State Northridge, it looks like he’s getting closer to those marks.

Fischback allowed two unearned runs in eight innings as the Mustangs defeated Cal State Northridge 8-2 in the second game of their three-game conference series. He didn’t allow a run in the first six innings, walked two and stuck out seven as the Mustangs improved to 14-16 (5-3 Big West) this season.

He got some help from his offense as well.

Bobby Crocker led off the first inning with a home run to center field, followed by back-to-back RBI doubles to left by Mitch Haniger and J.J. Thompson. And after Elliot Stewart hit a sacrifice fly to center, the Mustangs were up 4-0.

The Mustangs then added three more runs in the fourth and one more in the seventh.

Denver Chavez went 2 for 5 with two RBI, Crocker went 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Thompson went 2 for 5 with an RBI.

Santa Barbara 5, Cuesta 2

With the score tied at 2-2 in the top of the ninth inning, the Cougars (19-13, 11-7 Western State Conference-North) gave up three unearned runs by way of two walks, two hits, two errors, and a hit batsman as the Vaqueros took the lead.

Max Duvall led the way for Cuesta’s offense, going 1 for 4 with a two-run home run in the first inning.

However, all three of the Cougars hits came in the first two innings, and Cuesta could never get its offense going again, getting just four runners on base in the contest. Phillip Gerber, who pitched four innings in relief for the Cougars, picked up the loss.

Fullbacks Quentin Greenlaw and Matt Rulon ran for touchdowns, and the Mustangs offense picked up 11 first downs in a 40-play scrimmage during spring practice at the Upper Sports Complex.

With many of the team’s 16 returning starters on the sidelines, the scrimmage was an opportunity for the team to build depth at positions like offensive line and defensive back.

“We played a lot of guys and were protecting the quarterbacks and players on the offensive and defensive lines,” Cal Poly head coach Tim Walsh said in a news release, “so it was a great opportunity to get our younger guys some reps and build up the depth chart.”

Mustangs No. 1 quarterback Andre Broadous threw for 60 yards on 3-of-6 passing in what was a prelude to the program’s annual spring game, which is scheduled for April 30 at 1 p.m. in Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

Greenlaw, a converted linebacker, scored his touchdown on a 75-yard run on the final play of the scrimmage. Rulon ran six times for 13 yards and scored on a 1-yard dive.

Running back transfer Deonte Williams had 47 yards on three carries, most of which came on a 34-yard run in the second series.

SOFTBALL Cal State Fullerton 3, Cal Poly 2; Cal State Fullerton 3, Cal Poly 0

Two more losses for Cal Poly have the Mustangs headed in the wrong direction.

In what was supposed to be the start of a new season, the Mustangs have now lost six of their eight games in conference play.

However, it looked like Cal Poly would take the first matchup against the Titans.

With Cal Poly (6-28, 2-6 Big West) trailing 1-0, the Mustangs came back to score two runs in the sixth. But the Titans scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth en route to the victory.

In the second game, the Titans held the upper hand the entire game. They scored a run off Anna Cahn in the first inning and then added two more in the sixth, handing Cal Poly its fifth straight loss.

WOMEN’S TENNIS Cal Poly 6, UC Irvine 1

The Mustangs returned to their winning ways against UC Irvine. They ended their two two-match losing streak against the Anteaters, clinching the No. 2 seed in the Big West Tournament.

The Mustangs didn’t falter in singles play. Alexa Lee and Ashley Pane got the Mustangs started at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots as they didn’t lose a matchup.

In doubles play, it was a different story. Wins by the tandems of Courtney Byron and Kristina Smith and Franziska Goettsching and Miranda Young gave UC Irvine the doubles point.

MEN’S TENNIS Cal Poly 4, UC Santa Barbara 3

Cal Poly’s Andre Dome defeated Benjamin Recknagel 6-3, 6-4 to lead the Mustangs (14-3, 4-0) to a one point victory over the rival Gauchos.

Also winning for the Mustangs was Brian McPhee, who defeated Taylor Chavez 7-5, 6-3, and Marco Comuzzo, who defeated Max Glenn 6-2, 7-5 to secure the victory for Cal Poly.

TRACK AND FIELD Sisler, Vessey at Mt. SAC Relays

Former Cal Poly standout Maggie Vessey won the women’s 800, while Cal Poly’s Whitney Sisler placed seventh in the women’s high jump.

Vessey finished with a time of 2:02.51, beating Lindsey Schnell by more than 20 seconds in the invitational elite division race.

Cal Poly’s Whitney Sisler cleared 5-8 3⁄4 in the invitational elite division high jump, falling half a foot behind Brigetta Barrett, who won the event with a mark 6-2 3⁄4.