BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—The CSU Bakersfield baseball team continues its season long home stand this weekend with four games. The Roadrunners (25-16-1) host Cal Poly (19-21) Tuesday night at 6 p.m.
The Mustangs took a 14-5 all-time series lead Feb. 24 when the Mustangs defeated the Roadrunners 13-2.Cal Poly took 2-of-3 games against Long Beach State at home over the weekend. Cal Poly dropped a 12-11 10-inning decision to the Dirtbags on Sunday.
Mark Mathais is the team leader in hitting (.360). Zack Zehner has a team leading six home runs and a team leading 34 RBI's. Jarred Zill (R, 2-1, 4.12 ERA) should start for the Mustangs. CSUB will send Alec Daily (L, 2-3, 4.25 ERA) to the hill.
CSUB hosts Northern Colorado in a Western Athletic Conference series this weekend. Northern Colorado is expected to send Spencer Applebach (R, 2-4, 9.93 ERA) to the hill to face Hayden Carter (R, 6-3, 2.36 ERA) on Friday at 6 p.m. The Bears should send Alex Werbach (R, 2-5, 5.95 ERA) out to face James Barragan (R, 6-3, 2.17 ERA) on Saturday at 6 p.m. Sunday's finale should see UNC's Nick Tanner (L, 2-1, 3.62 ERA) pitching against Nick Rogowski (3-4, 4.06, ERA) and that will get underway at 12 p.m.
The Roadrunners are a one game out of first place in the WAC with a 12-5-1 league record. Grand Canyon, which defeated Utah Valley Sunday 4-3, are 13-4 in league play, with Seattle in second, a half game back, at 13-5. GCU is ineligible for the WAC Tournament due to their transition to Division I.
Northern Colorado is fourth (11-7) followed by North Dakota (10-8). Sacramento State and Utah Valley (9-9) are tied for sixth. Chicago State (4-12-1), New Mexico State (4-13-1), and Texas-Pan American (2-15-1) round out the standings. SU and CSUB would receive the first round byes in the tournament that begins Wednesday May 20 in Mesa, Ariz.
The Roadrunners lead the all-time series against Northern Colorado 7-0. CSUB swept a three-game WAC series from the Bears last season in Greeley. Northern Colorado enters the week fourth in the WAC with an 11-7 record. The Bears are 15-22 overall and will host Air Force on Tuesday. UNC is second in the WAC in hitting (.285). Jensen Park leads the WAC in hitting at a .415 clip. In league only games, Park is hitting .516 and has a WAC high 51 total bases.
All weekend long will be Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend at Hardt Field. The 'Runners will be wearing their pink jerseys Friday and Saturday while breast cancer survivors will be throwing out first pitches at those games. On Saturday, fans can play Rowdy's Runner Baseball Bingo for a chance to win one of ten tickets to the Spring BBQ. Sunday is $1 Hot Dog Day and Sundae Funday. The first 50 children 8th grade and under receive a mini helmet ice cream sundae. The 'Runners will also be saying goodbye to the Senior Class of 2015 on Sunday.
