LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Josh Volmerding pitched six shutout innings and the Cal Poly Mustangs defeated the Saint Mary’s Gaels 5-2 on Sunday, May 31, at Matador Field in a playoff game.

The Mustangs improved to 39-22, while the Gaels fell to 33-27. Cal Poly collected nine hits to Saint Mary’s six.

Volmerding allowed no hits and two earned runs while striking out seven over six innings. He entered the game coming off a rough start May 23 against UC San Diego in which he gave up four earned runs in four innings. Volmerding rebounded by keeping the Gaels off balance, stranding runners in scoring position in the first, second and third innings.

Saint Mary’s took an early lead in the bottom of the second. Izaiah Josephson walked, then Jared Mettam doubled to right center, driving in Josephson for a 1-0 Gaels lead. Tanner Griffith added a triple in the third and scored on Makoa Sniffen’s single down the left-field line, making it 2-0.

Cal Poly answered in the top of the fifth. With one out, Caden Murray Jr. singled and moved to second on a groundout by Gavin Spiridonoff. Evan Vachini flied out, but Jaden Castellon singled to left field. The left fielder committed a throwing error that allowed Murray Jr. to score, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

The Mustangs seized control in the top of the sixth. Ryan Tayman led off with a solo home run to left field, tying the game 2-2. After a pitching change, Dylan Hoiland walked and Murray Jr. walked. Spiridonoff then launched a three-run homer to left field, scoring Hoiland and Murray Jr. to put Cal Poly ahead 5-2.

Volmerding worked a clean bottom of the sixth, and the bullpen held the lead. Corden Pettey pitched a scoreless seventh inning, and Nick Bonn closed with two scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out two.

For Saint Mary’s, Jake Hilton started and went 5 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs. Jake Nobles relieved and pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out two. Griffith finished 3-for-3 with a single, double and triple. Sniffen and Mettam each drove in a run.

The most critical sequence occurred in the top of the sixth, when Tayman tied the game with his solo homer and Spiridonoff followed with the go-ahead three-run shot. The two blasts erased a 2-1 deficit and gave Cal Poly a lead it never relinquished.

Saint Mary’s threatened in the bottom of the eighth when Griffith walked and Ryan Castellanos singled, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Bonn entered and induced Sniffen to fly out, then Armstrong grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Cal Poly stranded two runners in the eighth but went quietly in the ninth. In the bottom of the ninth, Bonn struck out Jacob Johnson and Jared Mettam and got Josephson to ground out to secure the victory.

The Mustangs won the playoff meeting after having routed the Gaels 14-1 the previous day. The teams will not meet again in the regular season, but Saint Mary’s is scheduled to host UCLA later Sunday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cal Poly 8, Saint Mary’s 6. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cal Poly with a 58.40 percent probability to win.