Bears Prove to Be Comeback Kids Again Against Poly

Cal reliever Daniel Wolford had a rough fourth inning. After starter Todd Fitzgerald gave up two runs in the first frame, Wolford imploded to allow five runs to score after two innings of scoreless relief, putting the Bears baseball team at a 7-1 deficit.

"In years past, I remember guys on the bench would start to panic a little bit," junior center fielder Michael Capbarat said. "But this year, Coach (David Esquer) said that he could see in us that poise, that sense of confidence ... Everybody feels it, everybody was patient, and no one was pressing."

Slowly but surely, Cal (27-10-2) proved for the second time in two weeks that even a six-run hole is not too deep to climb out of, as the No. 7 Bears roared back to beat Cal Poly (17-20) 10-8 in dramatic fashion.

Cal chipped away at the Mustangs' lead by scoring one in the second, two in the fourth and one in the fifth on senior second baseman Josh Satin's 13th home run of the season before exploding for a five-run inning of its own in the sixth.

Behind the strong relief pitching of Chris Petrini (3 1/3 innings, three strikeouts, 0 runs), a confident Bears offense was able to work without pressure and finally broke through in a big way.

"For me to get people out, I need to be able to throw an offspeed pitch over the plate, coming off my fastball," Petrini said. "And that's what I did."

Capbarat got things going for Cal by chopping a 2-2 breaking ball from reliever Derrick Saito to third base and beating the throw for an infield single. Left fielder Charlie Cutler then bounced a double over first baseman Wes Dorrell's head to advance Capbarat to third.

Slugging first baseman David Cooper did what he does best, and came up with a clutch run-scoring double to left field, perfectly placing the hit in the gap. With runners on second and third, Cal Poly decided to intentionally walk Satin to load the bases, but reliever Mark DeVincenzi hit designated hitter Brett Jackson to force in a run.

Catcher Dylan Tonneson then lifted a fly ball to right, deep enough to score the tying run and set the table for sophomore right fielder Blake Smith.

On a 1-2 hit-and-run play, Smith lined a single down the first base line to plate Satin and put the Bears in the lead for good.

Cutler and Capbarat would team up again, but this time in the field to save a run for Cal in the top of the eighth. With one out and Adam Melker on first after being hit by a Craig Bennigson pitch, pinch-hitter Ricky Rossman slammed a fly ball to dead center field.

"He crushed it pretty good, and I tried to get a good read early," Capbarat said. "(Coach Jon) Zuber teaches us to just turn your back and go to a spot where you think it's going to be, and I just looked up and it was there."

Capbarat reached up blindly with his glove in the midst of a full gallop and snagged the ball. Then, with Cutler's help, he wheeled and threw the ball to shortstop Michael Brady, who tossed it to Cooper to double up Melker at first base.

"Charlie was in my ear the whole time, (yelling) that (Melker) was running," Capbarat said. "I just caught, wheeled and threw, and that was all Charlie, right there. He's showing some real knowledge out there."

Capbarat went 2-for-5 from the leadoff spot, scoring two runs and knocking one in as he spelled the hobbled Jackson in center field. Jackson injured his leg on Saturday against Washington and will serve as DH until he is healed enough to run around center field again.

Coming in with a man on in the ninth inning after the lefty Bennigson, junior closer Matt Gorgen retired three straight hitters (the first on a sacrifice fly to bring the score to 10-8) to earn his Pac-10-leading eighth save of the season.

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