SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The California State University San Bernardino baseball team used a three-run walk-off home run from junior Tyler Vanneste (Warman, Saskatchewan) to defeat Cal Poly Pomona 9-8 on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at Fiscalini Field.
With the win, the Coyotes finish their 2024 season at 23-25 overall and 16-22 in the CCAA.
Before the game, the Cal State San Bernardino Department of Athletics honored the 15 members of its baseball senior class prior to their final game at Fiscalini Field. Luke Hempel (Glendale, Calif.), Matthew Henry (Fontana, Calif.), Takuto Kataoka (Kobe, Japan), Ryan Graves (La Canada, Calif.), Dylan Silver (Palm Desert, Calif.), Josh Sandoval (Fontana, Calif.), Riley Parker (Snohomish, Wash.), Jake Borst (Imperial Beach, Calif.), Garrett Macias (Iwakuni, Japan), Benny Olguin (Alhambra, Calif.), John Pfeffer (Riverside, Calif.), Daniel Garcia Jr. (San Bernardino, Calif.), Daryl Ruiz (Corona, Calif.), Giovanni Del Negro (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), and AJ Barraza (Pomona, Calif.) were joined on the field by their friends and family for the special pregame ceremony.
The Coyotes broke through twice in the bottom of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. Del Negro got the Yotes on the board with an RBI single to center, followed by a Borst sacrifice fly to left.
The score remained 2-0 until the top of the fifth when Cal Poly Pomona broke through for their first run of the day. CSUSB quickly answered back in the bottom of the frame when Del Negro hit a no-doubt solo shot over the left field wall to make it 3-1. The RBI resulted in Del Negro's 152nd career run batted in, tying the CSUSB program record, set by Chris McAllen in 2004.
The Broncos took the lead with three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings, claiming a 7-3 advantage, but the Yotes stayed within striking distance by plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh on a Macias two-run homer to straightaway center.
A Kataoka RBI fielder's choice in the bottom of the eighth drew the hosts to within one at 7-6, but the Broncos quickly got the run back in the top of the ninth on a run-scoring single to make it 8-6, but the Yotes weren't done.
After a double from Del Negro and a Mejia hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the ninth, Vanneste turned around an elevated 0-1 fastball and hammered it over the right field fence to give the Yotes a stunning 9-8 win and a series win over their local rivals.
Sophomore Jeremy Giesegh (Upland, Calif.) led CSUSB offensively with a 4-5 afternoon, with a double and a run scored. Del Negro went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs in his final game, while Macias, Vanneste, and Kataoka each had two hits of their own.
The win was credited to Pfeffer, who threw two innings in relief, allowing one earned run with one strikeout. Hempel was the starter, but got a no-decision despite striking out eight over six innings pitched.
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