FULLERTON, Calif. (Interstat) — Chris Downs threw six hitless innings and Ryan Tayman hit a two-run home run as Cal Poly defeated Cal State Fullerton 6-2 on Sunday evening at Goodwin Field, taking the Big West series finale.

The Mustangs improved to 29-21 overall and 14-10 in conference play, while the Titans fell to 21-27 and 9-15. Cal Poly won the series after splitting the first two games, losing 4-3 on Friday and winning 7-6 on Saturday.

Downs entered in the third inning and dominated. He allowed no hits, no earned runs and struck out seven over six innings. He walked one batter. The right-hander entered after starter Josh Volmerding worked the first 2 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts.

Cal Poly struck first in the top of the first. After two quick outs, Ryan Kordic singled and Tayman singled, but the inning ended with a flyout. The score remained 0-0 until the bottom of the third, when Cal State Fullerton pushed across a run. With two outs, Lombardi walked, Meyer singled and Miller singled to load the bases. Paul Contreras reached on a fielder’s choice, driving in Lombardi for a 1-0 Titans lead.

The Mustangs answered immediately in the top of the fourth. Murray Jr. singled, Jake Downing doubled, and after a strikeout, Hoiland singled to drive in two runs, scoring Murray and Downing. Hoiland advanced to second on an error. Dante Vachini then singled to drive in Hoiland, making it 3-1 Cal Poly. The run was unearned.

Cal State Fullerton cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth. Miller singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Contreras singled to drive in Miller, who scored unearned.

The game remained tight until the top of the seventh. Vachini singled, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Castellon, then scored on a single by Kordic. After a pitching change, Tayman crushed a two-run homer to left field, driving in Kordic and giving the Mustangs a 6-2 lead. Tayman finished 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and a walk.

Downs exited after the sixth, and Josh Volmerding, Brady Estes and Brock Mayer combined to hold the Titans scoreless over the final three innings. Estes struck out two in 2/3 of an inning. For Cal State Fullerton, Dylan Smith started and allowed nine hits and two earned runs over six innings, striking out four. Brock Mayer threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Cal Poly had 13 hits. Vachini went 2-for-3 with an RBI, Downing went 2-for-4 with a double, and Hoiland had two hits and an RBI. The Titans had nine hits, led by Contreras, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Miller had two hits and scored a run.

The game featured two sacrifice hits by the Mustangs and two double plays grounded into by Cal Poly. The Titans were caught stealing twice.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cal Poly 6, Cal State Fullerton 2, and Interstat’s ELO system gave the Mustangs a 59.10 percent probability to win.