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Garrett Macias sent the Yotes into the semifinal game in style as the junior catcher hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 10th to defeat the defending CCAA Tournament Champions, Cal Poly Pomona, 10-6. (May 11)
The grand slam completed a comeback from down four runs as the Yotes battled back all game from an early deficit. Cal Poly Pomona put up three runs in the second and another in the third to build a 4-0 lead.
The Broncos' starter
Rhys Stevens was cruising early and did not yield his first hit until the fourth inning. He left the game after the top of the seventh with a 5-3 lead.
CSUSB continued to keep hitting and scored in five of the six innings after the fourth. They tied the game at 5-5 with a two-out, two-run rally.
Daryl Ruiz homered to right field to cut the deficit to 5-4 before
Giovanni Del Negro was hit by a pitch and stole second. A 14-pitch at-bat by
Danny Garcia resulted in a single and put runners at first and third for Macias. He went down 0-2 in the count, but he saw 11 pitches in his plate appearance before lining a ball between third and shortstop to bring in the game-tying run.
A.J. Nimeh's home run in the top of the eighth gave CPP another lead, but it was short-lived as the CSUSB tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a wild pitch.
In the 10th, the Yotes set the Broncos down in order and immediately put their first two runners on base. They looked like they might come away empty from a promising start to an inning as the next two batters flew out without moving the runners. Garcia was then hit in the back by the first pitch he saw to load the bases for Macias. He took the first pitch before barreling a fastball over the wall for his third grand slam of the season.
He finished the game 3-for-5 with a home run, five RBI and two runs scored. Every starter for the Yotes had at least one hit, as did the nine starters for the Broncos.
John Pfeffer picked up the win in relief after tossing two scoreless innings. He has now won three games at the CCAA Tournament in the last two years.
CSUSB will advance in the winners' bracket and face the No. 1 seed on Friday, May 12, at Noon. Cal Poly Pomona will immediately turnaround and play Stanislaus State in an elimination game.