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SEASIDE - The defending CCAA champions, Cal Poly Pomona, defeated San Francisco State, 8-5, in an opening-round elimination game at the CCAA Baseball Championships.
 
The Broncos found themselves immediately trailing 1-0 as the Gator's Sammy Gonzales tripled on the game's second pitch and scored on an errant cutoff throw. Cal Poly Pomona did not trail for long as it answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Johnny Pappas' two-run single put CPP up 2-1, and Tyler Chaffee cleared the bases with a two-out triple to extend the lead to 4-1.
 
A home run by Michael Cunningham halved the lead to 4-2, and the Gators continued to put runners on to keep the pressure on the Broncos. SFSU would put its leadoff hitter on each of the next two innings, but each time their inning was ended on a double play. The Gators would ground into four double plays in the game, including three in the third through sixth innings, as the Broncos extended their lead to 6-3.
 
San Francisco State pulled back within two in the seventh inning on a homer by Daniel Santos. Again, CPP and Chaffee had the two-out answer. With runners at second and third, Chaffee chopped a ball to the shortstop, who had to hurry his throw after a second high bounce, and he sailed it over the first baseman into the dugout, allowing both runners to score (8-4).
 
San Francisco State would not go away quietly. The first two runners reached after grinding out at-bats and finding a hit on a 3-2 count. Gonzales hit one to the wall, which the outfielder caught deep on the warning track to score the runner from third. Reliever Eric Romo then induced a groundball to shortstop, and the Broncos turned a double play to end the game.
 
Chaffee knocked in three of the Broncos' eight runs, going 2-for-4. Johnny Pappas went 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored. Leadoff hitter Brent Cota reached base four times (three hits, one walk). Daniel Santos collected three hits for the Gators and knocked in a pair of runs.
 
Cal Poly Pomona starter Caleb Reyes (7-2) earned the win. The 2023 CCAA Most Valuable Pitcher went seven innings, allowing 10 hits and four runs (three earned). He walked two, struck out six, and induced three ground ball double plays.
 
The Broncos will move into the double-elimination portion of the bracket. They will play the No. 2 seed Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, May 11. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.