Cal Poly opens NCAA Regional play Friday against Arizona in Eugene
The last time Cal Poly baseball made it to the NCAA Regionals, the Mustangs were hosting the tournament at Baggett Stadium, with an impressive (45-10) record and a ranking among the nation’s best.
That was 2014.
Since then, the program has experienced near misses, rebuilding years and flashes of potential but has yet to return to the national stage.
Now, after a dramatic Big West Tournament and a run that saw Cal Poly win three straight elimination games and dethrone top-seeded UC Irvine, the Mustangs are returning to the national stage.
Cal Poly is headed to Eugene, Oregon, for the 2025 NCAA Regionals hosted by the University of Oregon.
Cal Poly (41-17) is set to face the University of Arizona (39-18) in the first round, with the first pitch set for 1 p.m. on Friday.
With four teams in the bracket, the games will be played in a double-elimination format from Friday to Monday. The seeding order is as follows:
Oregon (42-14)
Arizona (39-18)
Cal Poly (41-17)
Utah Valley (32-27)
Oregon (42-14), ranked No. 5 in the nation, enters the Eugene Regional as the top seed, riding a hot streak with 15 wins in its last 17 games since April 25. The Ducks will open against Utah Valley (32-27), which is making just its second NCAA Regional appearance after debuting in 2016.
Cal Poly has limited recent history with either team. The Mustangs last faced Oregon in 1974, when the programs split a four-game series. More recently, Cal Poly swept Utah Valley in a three-game set at Baggett Stadium in 2021.
All four of Cal Poly’s NCAA Regional appearances have come under longtime Head Coach Larry Lee, dating back to their first in 2009. While Lee is no stranger to postseason baseball, this will mark his first time preparing for Arizona.
“We’re still in the process of scouting them, watching videos, looking at numbers, so we’ll be doing this right up until the day of the game,” Lee said.
However, what Lee has already seen from the Wildcats is a pitching staff that impressed during the Big 12 Tournament, where Arizona knocked off top-seeded West Virginia and the No. 3 seed, TCU.
“They pitched extremely well in the Big 12 tournament, and they play in one of the best conferences in the country, so they’re playing very good teams week in and week out,” Lee said.
Arizona enters the regional on a strong defensive run, having allowed just one run its final four games. The stretch highlights the efficiency of the pitching staff and the team’s ability to limit scoring opportunities.
However, Cal Poly brings a balanced, contact-driven offense that has thrived in high-pressure moments, something the Mustangs will look to lean on as they aim to break through against a staff that has been tough to crack.
“Stacking at-bats is kinda what we live off of,” Casey Murray Jr. said. “Just passing the bat to the next man, working on getting on base and pushing one run across an inning is some of the biggest things we focus on.”
Leading that effort is Ryan Fenn, who was named Big West Tournament MVP after going 9-for-21 with two doubles and five RBIs. Fenn came through with key hits in each of the Mustangs’ three elimination wins, providing consistency in the batting order and helping Cal Poly capitalize with runners in scoring position.
Arizona, along with Oregon, was part of the now-dissolved Pac-12 Conference before this season’s sweeping wave of realignment reshaped the college athletics landscape. Once the premier home for West Coast baseball, the Pac-12 disbanded as programs scattered to new conferences in search of greater financial stability and competitive opportunities.
But even with new conference ties, both Arizona and Oregon still reflect the high-caliber baseball that defined the Pac-12, which is consistent execution against top-tier teams.
“They’re West Coast teams that know how to play the game and are talented,” Lee said.
Cal Poly enters the regional riding the momentum of a historic tournament run, where the Mustangs won three straight elimination games and showcased balanced contributions from all phases of their lineup. Their focus since returning home with the trophy has been simple: Stay sharp.
“At this point in the season, it’s not like we’re learning new things,” Murray Jr. said. “We know we play a good team on Friday, so that’s all we have our mind on.”
Murray Jr. also played a pivotal role in Cal Poly’s early four-run surge in the Big West Championship game against UC Irvine, helping spark the momentum that carried the Mustangs through the title game. He’s been part of a top half of the batting order that’s consistently delivered all season.
While the bats have carried their weight, Cal Poly’s defense has quietly emerged as one of the most dependable units in the country. Cal Poly enters the regional with the 12th-best fielding percentage in Division 1, a stat that pairs perfectly with their pitching style—particularly sophomore right-hander Griffin Naess.
As the starting pitcher, Naess sets the tone for the Mustangs, not just with his control but with his composure against aggressive lineups. That’ll be tested right away in the regionals, as Arizona enters Friday’s opener ranked No. 1 in the nation in triples.
“I’m not too much of a strikeout pitcher,” Naess admitted. I’m kinda like a ball-in-play kinda guy.”
That means relying on his defense, a unit he says has delivered all season. Slowing down Arizona’s ability to turn singles into momentum-swinging triples could be the difference in setting the pace early.
The Wildcats, making their fifth consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, bring a track record of consistency and experience to the regional. Cal Poly, meanwhile, returns to the national stage for the first time since 2014, aiming to build on its conference tournament success in a competitive four-team field.
“I’m pretty confident in this team right now, and I think we could definitely come out with a win this weekend,” Naess said.
All games in the Eugene Regional will stream live on ESPN+.