After weathering storm, Cal Poly eyes better days ahead vs. UH
Mar. 17—After weeks of rainy, rainy weather, the Cal Poly baseball team is welcoming the sight of Rainbows.
After weeks of rainy, rainy weather, the Cal Poly baseball team is welcoming the sight of Rainbows.
The Mustangs (3-11 ) get a reset with today's game against Hawaii (7-7 ) to open the 2023 Big West season in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
"And now with the weekend, " Cal Poly coach Larry Lee said of the three-games series against the Rainbow Warriors at Baggett Stadium, "it's a new season for us. There's new hope. Everything is about the weekend."
After drought-like conditions the past seven years, California's Central Coast region has absorbed heavy rainfall—and flooding—this year. "This is one of those rainy seasons that happens every 20 years or so, " Lee said. "It just keeps coming. We're not through with March, or even April ... we're getting hammered. The whole state, actually. A lot of flooding."
Three Cal Poly games have been canceled this year, and several practices were moved indoors. On Sunday, Cal Poly played Big West member UC Santa Barbara in what was deemed a "nonconference " doubleheader. With a break in inclement weather, the Mustangs played host to USC on Wednesday, losing 16-3.
Of the Mustangs' 3-11 start, Lee refuses to blame it on the rain. "It's not an excuse for how we've been playing, " Lee said.
The Mustangs are experiencing the growing pains of rebuilding. Two of the Big West's top players—shortstop Brooks Lee and pitcher Drew Thorpe—were high-round selections in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft. First baseman Joe Yorke and catchers Collin Villegas and Ryan Stafford are the Mustangs' only returning starting position players from last season's 37-21 team. When one of the catchers is behind the plate, the other is in the outfield.
"It just makes it difficult when there's that much turnover, " Lee said. "You're playing freshmen who, maybe, aren't quite ready to perform at this level. There are very little options. We're trying to get better day to day, week to week."
Yorke, who missed six games because of an injury, is trying to regain his middle-of-the-order production. "He just rakes, " UH coach Rich Hill said of 6-foot-3, 270-pound Yorke. "You don't want him up in a situation with guys on base."
Villegas is hitting.224, but five of his 11 hits have been homers. He belted four home runs last year.
Bryce Warrecker, who appeared in 13 games last year (all in relief ), will throw today's first pitch. Last summer, Warrecker was named the Cape Cod League's most outstanding pitcher after going 4-1 with a 2.07 ERA. This season for the Mustangs, Warrecker is 1-1 with 3.92 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
Lee said Travis Weston and Ryan Baum will move from the starting rotation to the bullpen this weekend. They are a combined 2-4 with a 7.75 ERA. "Maybe it gives them a change of scenery, and get some possibly better results, " Lee said.
Hill and Lee have known each other for decades. "He'll have his guys ready, " Hill said.
Hill added : "They're scary. I don't care what their won-loss record is. They're good. Larry Lee is one of the best coaches in the country."
Lee will manage the collegiate national team this summer. "I thought if I didn't do it this summer, I'd never do it, " Lee said. "The opportunity presented itself, and I thought it was the right time to do it. I'm looking forward to it."
