The Cal Poly Mustangs are in the Los Angeles regional final after two wins over the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Saint Mary’s Gaels.
In their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance ever, the Mustangs are looking to make it to their first super regional.
Casey Murray Jr. and Griffin Naess lead Cal Poly to a win over Virginia Tech
The Mustangs were fresh off a second-straight Big West Tournament title as they faced off against the Virginia Tech Hokies. In a 6-2 win for Cal Poly, center fielder Casey Murray Jr. and starting pitcher Griffin Naess stood out.
Murray Jr. had four hits against the Hokies and two RBIs. He was the Mustangs’ leading offensive player and has been a big-time player in San Luis Obispo. Murray Jr. is the 2026 Big West Defensive Player of the Year.
Naess delivered a huge start on the mound for Cal Poly and shut down Virginia Tech’s offense. In seven innings of work, the six-foot-six-inch right-hander had nine strikeouts and allowed just one earned run. He threw 117 total pitches and allowed only five hits.
Mustangs’ Pitching Staff Stymies Saint Mary’s
In their second game of the Los Angeles regional, Cal Poly defeated the Saint Mary’s Gaels 14-1. Jacob Johnson’s RBI single in the second inning of Saturday’s game was the only run the Gaels could muster against the Mustangs’ great pitching.
Carson Turnquist started on the mound against Saint Mary’s for Cal Poly. In six innings of work, he struck out seven hitters while allowing just one run, which was Johnson’s RBI knock.
Chris Downs, Josh Morano, and Troy Cooper all pitched an inning apiece in relief for Cal Poly to finish out the game. The three relievers combined for three strikeouts and allowed no runs.
They were all efficient as well. Downs, Morano, and Cooper threw 39 total pitches combined over the course of the final three innings.
Big West Co-Field Player of the Year Ryan Tayman had a three-hit day against the Gaels. He finished with two RBIs and hit his 14th home run of the season.
Up next for Cal Poly
The Cal Poly Mustangs are in the Los Angeles regional final at Jackie Robinson Stadium. They will play the winner of the elimination game between the number one overall seed, the UCLA Bruins, and the Saint Mary’s Gaels on Sunday, May 31. That elimination game is at 4 p.m. ET, and the game is on ESPNU.
Cal Poly’s game against the winner of the UCLA-Saint Mary’s matchup is at 9 p.m. ET. The game is on ESPN+.
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: Cal Poly’s Casey Murray Jr. bats during an NCAA baseball game against Loyola Marymount on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
