Box Score: #28 Cal Poly Pomona 5, Sonoma State 4

LA JOLLA, Calif-  Tied 4-4 in the top of the ninth, Sonoma State loaded the bases with nobody out, but a pair of groundouts and a popout allowed Cal Poly Pomona to escape.  In the bottom of the frame, the Broncos pushed across a run to win 5-4 on Saturday night in La Jolla and force a winner-take-all game for the west region championship, Sunday at Noon.

With the loss, the Seawolves fall to 35-20 this season while the Broncos remain alive at 36-22. Both teams will face each other on Sunday, as it comes down to one game -- one team will advance to the NCAA Division II College World Series in Cary, North Carolina next weekend and one team will see its season come to an end.

It was a game of frustration for the Sonoma State offense, despite the fact it had rallied after falling behind 4-0 early. The west region's Player of the Year, Travis Taijeron, put the Broncos up 1-0 after a solo shot that rocketed over the center field fence in the bottom of the first inning. Cal Poly Pomona then plated three more runs in its half of the third inning to lead 4-0.

The score would remain until a Cameron Cook single in the fifth brought home Garrett Gooselaw to cut the lead to three at 4-1. In the sixth, Sonoma State continued its fight, scoring three runs on a variety of different ways. Kyle Jones doubled down the left field line to score O'Koyea Dickson, who led off the inning with an infield single. Randy Wells grounded out to the right side of the infield, allowing Alex Todd to come home, who reached on an error earlier in the inning. Gooselaw then knotted the game up at 4-4 with a sacrifice fly, scoring Jones.

The momentum clearly favored the Seawolves from then on, as the visiting team on the scoreboard loaded the bases in the top of the eighth inning. Dickson doubled to lead off the inning, Jones was intentionally walked after Todd grounded out and Wells walked, putting three runners on with one out. However, Gooselaw grounded out into the 5-2-3 double play, ending the threat.

After Ian Ocon shut down the Cal Poly Pomona lineup in order in the bottom of the eighth, Sonoma State continued the pressure in the ninth. Ryan Morales walked to start the ninth, then Steven Filippi singled, putting runners on first and second. After a pitching change, CPP's Erick Ruvalcaba hit Cameron Cook with the first pitch to load the bases and no outs on the scoreboard. However, Ruvalcaba forced Kevin Cramer and Dickson into a pair of fielder's choices that enabled the Bronco defense to throw the lead runner out at home plate, preserving the tie with two outs. The Cal Poly Pomona ace then induced an inning-ending fly out by Todd, sending the Bronco faithful into excitement with a noticeable momentum shift taking place.

It was that momentum shift that enabled Allen Rodarte and Jordan Whitman two consecutive singles to begin in the bottom of the ninth. Ocon was then called for a balk, moving both runners up a base. Only a couple of pitches later, Ocon threw a ball into the dirt that squirted away from the catcher Cramer and Rodarte came scampering home for the game-winning run.

Offensively for Sonoma State, Dickson led the way with three hits while Filippi had a pair of safeties. Ocon (2-1), who pitched brilliantly in his two-plus innings of relief, allowed just two hits and the one run, all after striking out two. Joey Van Cleave and reliever Phil Liniger combined to give up six hits in five and two-thirds innings.

Taijeron, Jenzen Torres and Rodarte each had two hits for Cal Poly Pomona in the victory as Ruvalcaba, who recorded a save in the Broncos' 6-5 win over host UC San Diego to knock them out of the NCAA tournament, improved to 5-3 after getting out of the bases-loaded, no-out jam in the ninth.

It will come down to one final game, as Sonoma State and Cal Poly Pomona will play to find out who will represent the west region in the College World Series, May 28-June 4, in Cary, North Carolina. First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for Noon at Triton Ballpark in La Jolla.

GAME NOTES: Senior Kyle Jones is just one hit away from tying the program's all-time record for most hits in a career. He has 227 career hits, one shy of tying former SSU student-athlete Derek Bell's record of 228.