By Anthony Gutierrez, April 15, 2025
Cal Poly Pomona’s baseball team closed out the series with a dominant 13-2 win over the Stanislaus State Warriors at Scolinos Field April 7, winning three in the four-game series.
The finale win secured the Broncos’ victory in the series and improved their record to 13-24 overall and 10-18 in CCAA play, pushing them past the Warriors in conference standings.
The Broncos opened the series with a 7-2 victory over the Warriors, ignited by a five-run fifth inning and a strong outing from pitcher Anthony Cosme on the mound April 5.
Saturday’s doubleheader was split between the two teams.
The Broncos took Game 1 as they edged out a 3-1 win behind pitcher Dylan Esquival’s seven shutout innings, in which he collected five strikeouts and only gave up two hits.
The Warriors took Game 2, with the Broncos falling 4-2 despite a rally in the late innings.
However, the Broncos’ most complete performance was in the series finale.
The offense wasted no time, with senior right fielder Robbie Treto ripping a 2-run double in the bottom of the first inning.
Stanislaus State responded with 1 run in the top of the second inning, but the Broncos were quick to respond.
The Broncos answered with 3 runs in the bottom of the second inning, which included a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to senior shortstop Beau Betten and a 2-run RBI single up the middle from junior left fielder, Julian Angulo.
“I’m just trying to hit the ball hard and do my job bringing my teammates in,” Angulo said, reflecting on his approach when going up to the plate. “My approach is to stay aggressive, look for the fastball, and adjust to off-speed pitches,”
The momentum for the Broncos snowballed into the fourth inning, where they continued their offensive surge, putting up 6 runs highlighted by a 3-run home run from Angulo — his fifth of the season.
Angulo said he had a good feeling it was gone the second he made contact with the bat.
The home run meant more than adding 3 runs on the board, but it carried major significance for senior catcher, Johnny Pappas.
Pappas scored his 168th career run, tying Tom Week’s all-time program record from 1987.
Pappas looks to secure the record next series, seeking to stand alone as the all-time run leader in Cal Poly Pomona baseball history.
The inning continued with an RBI double from junior third baseman Sebastian Arguelles, followed by back-to-back walks to extend the lead to 11-1.
On the mound for the Broncos, senior right-hand pitcher Tyler Reiter turned in his best performance of the season.
Reiter threw six impressive innings of 1-run ball, shutting down the Warriors and striking out two batters on an efficient 78 pitches.
“It was good attacking them and getting the job done,” Reiter said.
The Broncos played stellar defense behind Reiter, executing two double plays and an error-free afternoon.
“It makes my job easier, just going out there and making them put it in play and trusting my guys,” Reiter said, as he credited his defense.
The Warriors managed to put up another run in the top of the seventh inning. With a runner on third with one out, designated hitter Jonluke Goldman belted a deep flyout to center fielder, Clay Porter, bringing in the runner on third for a sacrifice fly-out.
The Broncos continued to offensively attack and tacked on some insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings.
Freshman designated hitter Christian Gomez had a breakout game, batting 3-for-4 with two doubles and scoring two runs.
The bullpen held the Warriors scoreless over the last three frames, securing a 13-2 victory and a series win.
Every CPP starter reached base at least once, and the offense exploded for 14 hits and 11 RBIs on the day.
With the series win, Cal Poly Pomona moved above Stanislaus State in the CCAA standings and gained momentum heading into next weekend’s matchup.
Head coach Randy Betten said he was very encouraged from what he saw from his team this weekend.
“We’re playing great college baseball,” Betten said. “We’re grinding tough at-bats, great outings from our starting pitchers, and our bullpen’s been strong. I’m excited about the direction we’re going.”
With the dominant series win, the Broncos carry momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.
The Broncos will travel north for a four-game series at San Francisco State in most likely their final matchup, as San Francisco State team recently announced it is eliminating its baseball program next year.
CPP will also be watching closely as Johnny Pappas looks to make program history. With one more run scored, he will become the CPP all-time career leader in runs.
Feature image courtesy of CPP Athletics
