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Postgame Press Conference
LOS ANGELES -- For the first time since 2018, a Big West team is going to the super regional round of the NCAA Baseball Championship. Cal Poly defeated Saint Mary’s by a final score of 5-2 in the regional final of the 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship - Los Angeles Regional to advance out of the opening weekend of the national tournament for the first time in program history.
The Mustangs improve to 39-22 overall and will face the winner of the Morgantown regional between No. 16 national seed West Virginia and Kentucky in the super regional round. The last time a Big West team made the super-regional round was in 2018 when Cal State Fullerton fell to Washington in a 10-inning rubber match to go to Omaha. Next weekend will be the maiden voyage to super regionals for the Cal Poly program, its first time at this stage of the postseason in five NCAA appearances.
The Gaels, the West Coast Conference champions, finish their season with a 36-27 overall record.
The Mustangs got a quality start from their starting pitcher once again as
Josh Volmerding (1-1) threw 6.0 innings of two run ball, collecting seven strikeouts in the process. All three Cal Poly starters in the regional went at least six innings and gave up two runs or fewer. Reliever
Corden Pettey threw a shutout inning and closer
Nick Bonn earned a 17th save on the season retiring all batters order.
Cal Poly center fielder
Casey Murray Jr. went 2-for-3 with two runs. Third baseman
Alejandro Garza collected two hits.
Saint Mary’s got off to an early 2-0 lead, scoring one run each in the second and third inning.
The Mustangs scored their first run of the game in the top of the fifth as
Nate Castellon hit an RBI single to bring home Murray Jr.
Cal Poly tied the game and took the lead in the next inning.
Ryan Tayman hit a solo bomb to left field to even the score at 2-2. Four batters later,
Gavin Spiridonoff hit a three-run shot over the left field wall for a 5-2 Mustang advantage in the top of the sixth.
The Gaels were retired in order in the bottom of the sixth and seventh frames, and had their best chance to score in the eighth. With two Saint Mary’s runners on first and second base and no outs, Bonn, the Cal Poly closer, came in and did not allow a run, forcing the Gaels to hit a fly ball and into double play. Bonn stayed on the mound in the ninth and retired the Saint Mary's side in order to send the Mustangs to their first super regionals.