Cal Poly baseball splits 4-game series with Washington State

Mustangs drop series finale 5-4 after rallying to take lead

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Cal Poly baseball team split their 4-game series with Washington State, losing the final game 5-4 after taking a 4-3 lead in the middle innings. The Cougars tied the game in the 8th and scored the winning run in the 9th to take the series finale.

Why it matters

This was an important early-season series for both teams as they look to build momentum heading into conference play. The split result means neither team was able to gain a clear advantage, setting up an intriguing rematch later in the season.

The details

Cal Poly erased a 3-1 deficit, getting a solo home run from freshman Gavin Spiridonoff and tying the game in the 6th on a sacrifice fly by Vinnie VanderVel. They took a 4-3 lead in the 7th when Dante Vachini scored on a wild pitch. But Washington State rallied, tying it in the 8th on an RBI double and scoring the winning run in the 9th on a groundout.

  • The series finale was played on February 23, 2026.
  • Cal Poly's next game is a 4-game home stand against USC starting on February 26, 2026.

The players

Gavin Spiridonoff

A freshman on the Cal Poly baseball team who hit his first collegiate home run in the game.

Vinnie VanderVel

A Cal Poly player who hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game in the 6th inning.

Dante Vachini

A Cal Poly player who scored the go-ahead run in the 7th inning on a wild pitch.

Luke Thiele

A Washington State player who hit an RBI double to tie the game in the 8th inning.

Max Hartman

A Washington State player who drove in the winning run with a groundout in the 9th inning.

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What’s next

Cal Poly will look to bounce back when they host USC in a 4-game home stand starting on February 26, 2026.

The takeaway

This was a hard-fought series between two evenly matched teams, with neither able to gain a clear advantage. The split result sets up an intriguing potential rematch later in the season as both teams continue to jockey for position heading into conference play.