BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—David Metzgar's (So., Lancaster, Calif., Paraclete HS) one-out single in the bottom of the ninth plated Jordie Hein (Sr., Scottsdale, Ariz., Chapparal HS) to complete a CSU Bakersfield comeback and give the Roadrunners a 5-4 victory over Cal Poly Tuesday night.

Brian Mundell's RBI double with one out in the top of the first broke the seal for the Mustangs (19-22). Five Cal Poly hits led to three runs in the second. Mundell picked up his second hit and second RBI as the Mustangs sent nine batters to the plate.

CSUB threatened in the sixth. The Roadrunners loaded the bases with no outs against Cal Poly starter Jared Zill. Back-to-back sacrifice flies from Mylz Jones (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Paraclete HS) and Ryan Grotjohn (So., Cave Creek, Ariz., Brophy College Prep) drove in the first two CSUB runs. The Roadrunners would strand runners on the corners later in the frame.

Andrew Bernstein relieved Zill to begin the seventh. He gave up consecutive singles to Hein and Joey Sanchez (So., Pico Rivera, Calif., El Rancho HS). Metzgar, the Roadrunners' leading hitter, attempted to bunt the baserunners over. Metzgar failed in his attempt, resulting in him pulling the bat back. Metzgar singled to right, taking second on the throw. Sanchez moved to third on the play as Hein appeared to have scored. Home plate umpire Chuck Lyon ruled that Hein never touched home plate and he was tagged out by Barbier, the Mustangs' catcher. CSUB head coach Bill Kernen was ejected arguing the call.

“Jordie touched home plate, [and he said] he didn't even touch home plate,” Kernen said about the play. “He scored, when I went out there, the umpire said that's dirt sliding around the base. I did not agree with that and said somethings that I shouldn't have said.”

Michael Gomez came on in relief of Bernstein to face Max Carter (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS). On a 0-2 count, Gomez's wild pitch allowed Sanchez to score.  With the count 2-2, a second Gomez wild pitch allowed Metzgar to tie the game.  Gomez struck out Carter and Soloman Williams (Sr., Long Beach, Calif., Golden West College) to get out of the inning.

With one out in the eighth, Ryan Drobny singled. Tommy Pluschkell put down a sacrifice bunt to advance Drobny to second. Mark Mathais was intentionally walked to bring up Peter Van Gansen. Van Gansen, who was 0-4 up to that point in the game, hit a ball deep in the right center gap. Chance Gusbeth (Jr., Lancaster, Calif., Desert Christian HS) chased the ball down and caught it for the final out.

Grotjohn was hit by a Gomez pitch with one out in the CSUB eighth. Gusbeth walked to bring up Ross Hough (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Central Arizona College). Erich Uelman was called upon to relieve Gomez and educed an inning-ending double play (6-3).

Mundell singled up the middle to begin the Cal Poly ninth. Mustangs' clean-up hitter Zach Zehner grounded into a 6-4-3 double play before Barbier reached on a Jones' throwing error from shortstop. Pinch-hitter Kevin Morgan flew out to right to conclude matters.

Hein hit a grounder to Mathais at second to open the ninth. Mathais' throw was high, allowing him to reach safely.  Uelmen was called for a balk to advance Hein to second. Sanchez's attempt at a sacrifice bunt was successful as Hein moved to third. Cal Poly substituted a fifth infielder into the game, Alec Smith, as Cal Poly brought the infield in. The two remaining outfielders shift to toward right field. Metzgar smacked the ball between Smith and Van Gansen, the Mustangs' shortstop for the game winner.

“If you have a situation like that, what better guy (Metzgar) to have in that situation,” Kernen said. “I was very surprise that they didn't walk the next two to load the bases. They know their pitcher better than I do, so they must have thought the matchup worked for them.”

Alec Daily (So., Temecula, Calif., Great Oak HS) gave up four runs in two innings before being relieved by Garrett Nimmo (So., Temecula, Calif., Temecula Valley HS). Nimmo retired the first 14 Mustangs he faced before he allowed a two-out single to Brett Barbier in the top of the seventh. Nimmo pitched a career high seven innings, striking out a career high nine. He needed 78 pitches, recording 55 strikes.

“It starts with Garrett Nimmo keeping the score 4-0 and dominating the game,” Kernen said. “It gave us a chance. He's pitched well and we need that to happen as we get ready for the WAC Tournament. We were able to hold it together and win the game.”

Mundell led Cal Poly by going 3-for-5 with two RBI's. Barbier had two hits as did Drobny. Hein posted three of the nine CSUB hits. Metzgar was 2-for-4 with two RBI's and two runs scored.  The Roadrunners broke a six-game losing streak against the Mustangs that dated back to the 2012 season.

CSUB (27-15-1, 12-5-1 WAC) hosts welcomes fourth place Northern Colorado (15-22, 11-7 WAC) to Hardt Field for a three-game set beginning Friday night at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com. If you can't make it to Hardt Field, you can watch all four games next week  on Bakersfield.com and listen to Friday and Saturday's games  on 1230 ESPN.

~GoRunners.com~