NCAA DIVISION I BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SAINT MARY’S VS. CAL POLY

LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — The 2026 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship continues Saturday with a matchup between seed Cal Poly (37-22) and seed Saint Mary’s (32-25) at a neutral site in Los Angeles.

First pitch is set for Saturday, May 30.

The Mustangs enter as the higher seed after posting a stronger regular-season record, but the Gaels carry momentum from a 3-2 win Friday at UCLA, a victory powered by pitcher John Damozonio. The right-hander threw seven innings, allowing zero hits and two earned runs while striking out six.

Damozonio has been dominant of late. In his previous start May 20 at Pepperdine, he threw six innings of no-hit ball, allowing no runs and striking out seven in a 9-2 win.

Cal Poly counters with its own ace, right-hander Griffin Naess, who also pitched Friday in a 6-2 win at Virginia Tech. Naess threw seven innings, giving up no hits and one earned run with nine strikeouts. He has been consistent this month, including an 11-strikeout, two-hit performance May 21 against UC San Diego, and a 3-1 record over his last four starts.

The Gaels’ offense was led Friday by designated hitter Jacob Johnson, who went 3-for-4 with two home runs and two RBIs. Reliever Cam Staton also shined, throwing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.

Saint Mary’s has won seven of its last 10 games, including series wins over Gonzaga, Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount. The Gaels have shown resilience but also inconsistency, dropping games to San Francisco and Stanford earlier this month.

Cal Poly enters with nine wins in its last 10 contests, the lone loss a 12-2 defeat at UC San Diego on May 23. The Mustangs have been strong on the mound and at the plate, averaging more than six runs per game over their last five outings.

Saturday’s game will feature two teams peaking at the right time, each riding standout pitching performances into the postseason.