Mustangs Look to Get Back in Win Column with Home Midweek Versus Waves

Cal Poly hosts Pepperdine in second of three scheduled midweek games between the teams

Apr. 14, 2026 at 3:35am

A fractured, multi-perspective painting featuring sharp, overlapping geometric planes of color that capture the abstract movements and energy of a college baseball game.A cubist interpretation of the energy and dynamism of a college baseball matchup between Cal Poly and Pepperdine.San Luis Obispo Today

Cal Poly baseball will host Pepperdine on Tuesday afternoon at Baggett Stadium, looking to bounce back after dropping all three games at No. 7 Oregon State over the weekend. The Mustangs currently sit in second place in the Big West Conference standings, one game behind UC San Diego. Pepperdine, led by second-year head coach Tyler LaTorre, is 11-24 on the season but has split its 12 West Coast Conference contests so far.

Why it matters

This midweek matchup provides Cal Poly an opportunity to regain momentum heading into a crucial Big West series against conference-leading UC San Diego this weekend. The Mustangs will aim to build on their strong offensive performance in Corvallis, where they recorded 11 hits in each of the final two games against the Beavers.

The details

Cal Poly will start sophomore left-hander Luke Kalfsbeek, who pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed just two runs and one hit in a no-decision at Fresno State on March 31. Pepperdine will counter with sophomore right-hander Austin Plisinski, who has not pitched more than two innings in any of his 12 appearances this season. The Waves sport a .248 team batting average, led by third baseman Daniel Patterson and first baseman James Dell'Amico, while the Mustangs are second in the Big West with a .293 team batting average, paced by junior infielder Alejandro Garza's .359 average.

  • The game is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 5:05 p.m.
  • The third and final clash of the year between the Mustangs and Waves will be played on April 21 at 3 p.m. inside Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu.

The players

Larry Lee

Head coach of the Cal Poly Mustangs baseball team.

Tyler LaTorre

Head coach of the Pepperdine Waves baseball team, in his second season.

Alejandro Garza

Junior infielder for the Cal Poly Mustangs, leading the team with a .359 batting average.

Daniel Patterson

Third baseman for the Pepperdine Waves, batting .309 with 11 doubles, 9 home runs and 23 RBIs.

James Dell'Amico

First baseman for the Pepperdine Waves, batting .275 with 18 RBIs.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Despite holding a lead in all three games, Coach Larry Lee's Mustangs could not come away with a victory at No. 7-ranked Oregon State over the weekend in Corvallis, falling 6-3, 11-6 and 3-2, but they will try to build some momentum heading back into Big West play this weekend.”

— Larry Lee, Head Coach, Cal Poly Mustangs

What’s next

The Mustangs will host CSUN on April 24-26 and Long Beach State on May 14-16 for Big West series, as well as a midweek contest against Santa Clara on April 28.

The takeaway

This midweek matchup against Pepperdine provides Cal Poly an important opportunity to regain momentum and confidence heading into a crucial Big West series against conference-leading UC San Diego. The Mustangs will look to build on their strong offensive performances against Oregon State and continue to climb the Big West standings.