By Anthony Gutierrez, March 4, 2025
Cal Poly Pomona’s baseball team battled through an intense back-and-forth contest against No. 15 Cal State Monterey Bay before hanging on for a thrilling 11-10 victory in the series finale Feb. 23 at Scolinos Field.
The Broncos showed both their offensive power and defensive resilience in the final game after a win Friday night and dropping the first of two games in Saturday’s doubleheader.
Coming into this series, head coach Randy Betten prepared his team for a tough back-and-forth battle with the Otters.
“They’re a really good team,” Betten said. “You know they’re going to compete, and we’re going to have to play well.”
After a hard-fought 9-7 win in the opener, game two proved a very tight battle, but the Broncos couldn’t pull it off, falling 9-7.
The Broncos bounced back with a dominant 6-0 win to retake the series lead in game three, highlighted by a stellar, complete game shutout from left-hand pitcher Dylan Esquival. With this performance, he was named NCBWA West Region Pitcher of the Week for his efforts against the defending CCAA champions.
The Broncos returned for game four against the Otters, looking to secure the series with a 2-1 lead.
Right fielder Anthony Gibbons provided an early spark with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, giving the Broncos a 3-0 lead.
As the Broncos pushed an early lead, Monterey Bay didn’t let up, putting up 4 runs between the third and fourth inning to take the lead.
The Broncos responded back in the bottom of the fifth inning as center fielder Dominic Porter came up to the plate with runners in scoring position. Porter ripped a single through the left side, bringing in designated hitter Julian Angulo and left fielder Brent Cota to capture a 6-4 lead.
The Otters answered back with multiple lead changes, including a 2-run homer in the top of the eighth, making it a 9-8 game in favor of the Otters.
Infielder Marco Malerba stepped up to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the eighth and runners in scoring position.
Malerba, who collected seven hits this series, delivered a clutch go ahead 2-run single to center field, putting the Broncos back in front at 11-9.
“I felt good,” Malerba said. “I was seeing the ball well all weekend, and our main focus this whole week was our offense, and clearly that paid off.”
The Broncos’ pitching staff, led by starter and right-handed pitcher Evan Adolphus, kept them in the game despite several rough innings.
Adolphus, who went six innings and struck out three Otters, was solid in his outing but the long ball kept Monterey Bay in the mix.
After the Otters’ late surge, Adolphus kept his composure, preventing Monterey Bay from building momentum in critical moments.
“I try to keep a poker face,” Adolphus said. “It’s important to maintain composure and keep my teammates in the game.”
Closing pitcher Ruben Del Castillo entered the ninth inning to seal the win with the Broncos now up by 2 runs. Del Castillo allowed a run but ultimately closed out the game, securing the victory and giving the Broncos a much-needed series win.
Betten said he was pleased with how his team responded throughout the series.
“I’m happy to get three wins on the weekend,” Betten said. “As hard as it was for our players and coaches, it’s a grind and good for team growth.”
Betten’s optimism was evident as the Broncos now look ahead with momentum after a challenging, but successful weekend.
Adolphus also emphasized the importance of the team’s support throughout the game.
“Best feeling in the world, being able to have confidence in all our guys out there,” Adolphus reflecting on his teammates’ run support while he was on the mound. With the offense putting up 13 hits, including key contributions from Gibbons and Porter, the Broncos proved they were capable of battling back when it mattered most.
With the victory Sunday afternoon and a series win against the Otters, the Broncos look to carry this momentum into the next stretch of games.
Feature image courtesy of Christian Magdaleno
