POMONA, Calif. –NCAA Division II Cal Poly Pomona roughed up Azusa Pacific 10-1 in the opening game of a day-night, home-and-home doubleheader in Pomona. The Broncos pounded out 15 hits on 3 separate Cougar pitchers.
All but one Bronco starter had at least 1 hit, while Bronco starter Michael Curcie and 3 relievers limited the Cougars to just 3 hits. Curcie, a transfer from NCAA Division I UC Riverside, went 5 innings, striking out 6 to pick up the win in his Cal Poly debut.
Junior Kelly Strickland started for the Cougars and lasted 4.1 innings, scattering 9 hits and allowing 6 runs (4 earned). Brad McKinney went 2.1 innings allowing 4 runs (2 earned) and striking out 4, and freshman Peter Dusan tossed the final 1.1 innings, allowing just a single and 2 walks in his collegiate debut.
Matt Dzama drove in the Cougars' lone run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to score Shaun Beutner, who singled earlier in the inning. That was all the offense the Cougars could muster.
With the loss, Azusa Pacific drops to 1-1 on the season. Cal Poly Pomona improves to 1-0.