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THIS WEEK
Bakersfield heads to the central coast Friday to begin a four-game series with Big West member Cal Poly. The Roadrunners and Mustangs open play Friday, Mar. 20 at 6 p.m. at Baggett Stadium in San Luis Obispo. The second game of the series takes place Saturday, Mar. 21 at 1 p.m. The two teams then travel into the valley to finish the series at Hardt Field in Bakersfield. First pitch on Sunday, Mar. 22 is 1 p.m. and the series concludes Monday, Mar. 23 at 2 p.m.
LIVE STATS/AUDIO
Live statistics will be available for all four games against Cal Poly this week. Log on to GoPoly.com and navigate to the baseball schedule page to find the link to the Mustangs' GameTracker. Cal Poly will also have an internet audio broadcast link available for fans unable to make the trip to San Luis Obispo.
For the Roadrunner games in Bakersfield on Sunday and Monday, live statistics can be found at GoRunners.com by navigating to the live stats link off the CSUB main page or the baseball schedule page.
?RUNNER RECAP
CSUB completed a long week in Fresno, playing six games in six days at the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic. The Roadrunners went 1-5 in the tournament, their lone win coming in a 9-7 final against Portland. In that game, Bakersfield rallied from a 7-0 deficit by scoring nine unanswered runs in the eighth inning. Brandon Boren, Martin Medina and Mick Gaston each had hits that scored a pair of runs in the big inning.
The ?Runners also played a pair of games against defending national champion, Fresno State, including a near upset of the Bulldogs in the second match-up. CSUB took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on a pair of RBI hits by Ryan McIntyre and Jeremy Rodriguez and starter Mickey Jannis pitched 5 2/3 innings of no-hit ball. Fresno State finally broke through in the seventh and eighth innings, however, eventually executing a perfect squeeze bunt to plate the game-winning run.
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCH-UPS
GAME 1, FRIDAY, MAR. 20
CSUB: Mickey Jannis (RHP)
Cal Poly: Jared Eskew (LHP)
GAME 2, SATURDAY, MAR. 21
CSUB: Erik Draxton (RHP)
Cal Poly: Matt Leonard (LHP)
GAME 3, SUNDAY, MAR. 22
CSUB: Jonathan Montoya (LHP)
Cal Poly: DJ Mauldin (RHP)
GAME 4, MONDAY, MAR. 23
CSUB: TBD
Cal Poly: TBD
SCOUTING CAL POLY
Cal Poly is off to one of the hottest starts in program history, bringing an 11-4 record into the four-game series with CSUB. After taking two-of-three from then No. 3 ranked Rice University to open the season, the Mustangs also have wins over reigning national champion Fresno State, Sacramento State (three times), Houston (twice), San Jose State and Cal (twice). Their stellar start has the Mustangs ranked No. 16 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll and No. 21 by Baseball America.
The Mustangs are hitting .324 as a team, led by Adam Buschini's .414 average (24 hits in 58 at bats). D.J. Gentile and Wes Dorrell hit .357 and .356, respectively, followed by Matt Jensen (.339) who leads the team in home runs (6) and RBIs (21).
On the mound, right-hander DJ Mauldin is 2-1 with a 3.45 ERA. He has struck out 27 while walking four and allowing just 33 hits and 11 earned runs in 28.2 innings. Left-handers Matt Leonard (2-0, 6.00 ERA) and Jared Eskew (3-1, 6.97 ERA) have also both gotten off to a hot start for Cal Poly. Eleven total pitchers have made an appearance on the mound for the Mustangs, combining for a 5.39 ERA, while their offense is averaging 7.32 earned runs per game.
Cal Poly has also played solid defense through 15 games, committing just 17 errors for a .971 fielding percentage. On the flip side, their opponents have combined for 33 errors (.944 fielding percentage).
SMITH GETS HOT
Freshman left-fielder Stuart Smith had the hot bat during Bakersfield's six games at the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic in Fresno. Smith hit .409 (9-for-22) during tournament play, including a double, a pair of home runs and five RBIs. With the performance, Smith is now batting .356 for the season with a team-best four long balls.
WALKING WOES
CSUB's pitching staff has accumulated 77 walked batters through 14 games this season, an average of 5.5 per game. Conversely, the ?Runner offense has drawn just 52 walks (3.7 per game). Not allowing “free” bases to opponents is key as CSUB's opponents are hitting .353 with runners on base and just .277 when the bases are empty.
JANNIS ON THE RISE
Junior right-hander Mickey Jannis struggled in his first two appearances of the season, but has since turned a corner. In two appearances at the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic last week, Jannis struck out 13 and allowed just eight hits and three earned runs in 12.2 innings of work. He earned no-decisions in both appearances, but posted a 2.13 ERA in those games.
ON DECK
The Roadrunners travel to San Jose State Mar. 27-29 for a three-game series against the Spartans. On the way back, CSUB will make up its rained-out game against St. Mary's, traveling to Moraga on Mar. 30 for a 3 p.m. start.
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Bakersfield's inaugural schedule was listed as the 29th toughest in the nation, according to a preseason strength of schedule ranking by boydsworld.com. CSUB has 21 games against 10 opponents ranked above them on the strength of schedule list, including No. 8 Cal Poly, No. 11 Pacific, No. 13 UC Davis, No. 14 UC Riverside, No. 16 Loyola Marymount, No. 18 UC Santa Barbara, No. 21 San Francisco, No. 22 Saint Mary's and No. 24 Cal State Northridge.
TOGETHER AGAIN
Bakersfield is the fourth school coaches Bill Kernen and Jody Robinson have worked at together. The two were assistants at Cal State Fullerton in the late 1970's through 1981. During that time, the Titans, who had just made the transition to Division I in 1975, earned five NCAA Tournament appearances, including two trips to the College World Series and a national championship title in 1979. They also teamed up briefly in 1988, both serving as assistants to former Titan Head Coach Augie Garrido, this time at the University of Illinois. In 1991, Kernen was in his second season as the head coach at Cal State Northridge, leading the Matadors through the transition from DII to DI play. Robinson joined the staff as an assistant coach, helping CSUN to a 44?18?1 record, the West Regional championship game and a top 10 ranking in the final NCAA Division I poll in its first season of DI play.
HARDT FIELD
Coming from the 99 Freeway (north or south) exit at Ming Ave. and proceed WEST to Haggin Oaks Blvd. (approximately four miles). Turn right on Haggin Oaks to Camino Media. Turn left on Camino Media. Turn right into campus on Roadrunner Drive and park in Lot E or I. Hardt Field is located west of Lot E.
TICKETS, PLEASE
Ticket information for all Roadrunner home baseball games may be found online at GoRunners.com or by calling the CSUB Athletics Ticket Office at (661) 654-BLUE.
NEED MORE INFO?
For all of the most up-to-date information about CSUB Baseball and all other Roadrunner sports, check out the CSUB Athletics Web site at: GoRunners.com.
