History was made under the bright lights of Jackie Robinson Stadium on Sunday night as Cal Poly Baseball clinched its first-ever NCAA Super Regional berth, defeating Saint Mary’s 5-2 in a dramatic Los Angeles Regional championship. The Mustangs, who had never advanced past the regional round in five previous tries, delivered a performance packed with grit, resilience, and timely heroics—hallmarks of their 2026 campaign.
It was a night for the record books, and the Mustangs made sure to leave their mark. Ryan Tayman, the team’s power-hitting catcher, blasted his 18th home run of the season in the sixth inning, tying the school’s single-season record set back in 1985 by Monty Waltz. That blast not only knotted the game at two apiece but also extended Tayman’s impressive hitting streak to 13 games. The celebration, however, had only just begun for Cal Poly fans.
Moments later, freshman sensation Gavin Spiridonoff stepped up to the plate and, with two runners on, crushed a 2-0 fastball over the left field wall for a decisive three-run homer. Spiridonoff’s fourth home run of the year broke the 2-2 deadlock and gave the Mustangs a lead they would never relinquish. "First pitch, I got a changeup, and then got up 2-0, so I was just looking for something I could handle and got my fastball," Spiridonoff recounted after the game. "I couldn't believe it. That's something you dream of. I think I blacked out running the bases. I don't really remember it and don't remember the swing at all. It's just kind of pure emotion there."
That outburst in the sixth capped a classic Cal Poly comeback—their 23rd come-from-behind win of the season. The Mustangs had trailed 2-0 early after Saint Mary’s, who entered the regional with the third-best batting average in the nation (.334), scored single runs in the second and third innings off starter Josh Volmerding. But the Mustangs refused to wilt, chipping away at the deficit with a run in the fifth. Casey Murray Jr. singled to left, advanced to second on a groundout, and then raced home on Nate Castellon’s two-out RBI single, setting the stage for the fireworks that followed in the sixth.
On the mound, Volmerding delivered a gutsy, season-defining performance. The junior southpaw, who had missed six weeks earlier in the year with a lower body injury, scattered five hits over six innings, allowing just two runs and striking out a season-high seven batters. "The process has been slow," Volmerding admitted about his comeback. "Just ramping up those pitches every week, getting back in the swing of things, and tonight it all just clicked. It happened to be at the right time." His slider, a new addition this season, proved particularly effective, generating 11 swing-and-misses among his 45 thrown and making up 75 percent of his strikes. "That slider's new this year, and with my knee earlier this year, it was hard to throw," Volmerding said. "Now that I'm back fully healthy, it's comfortable to throw, one of my favorite pitches. It started out pretty good. We got some swing and miss on it, so we just stuck with it the whole game."
After Volmerding’s six-strong innings, the bullpen took over. Corden Pettey tossed a scoreless seventh, and Nick Bonn slammed the door with two hitless frames, notching his nation-leading 17th save of the year. Bonn entered in a tight spot in the eighth, promptly inducing a fly ball and a slick 5-4-3 double play to escape the jam. He then fanned two in the ninth, wrapping up the contest and triggering a wild mound-side celebration. The Mustangs’ pitching staff, led by coach Seth Moir, stifled a Saint Mary’s lineup that had battered opponents all year, holding them to just three runs and a .219 batting average across their two meetings in the regional.
The defense was just as sharp. Castellon, the sophomore shortstop, made two highlight-reel plays in the late innings, including a sliding stop and spinning throw in the seventh and a 360-degree turn and rocket to first in the ninth. Alejandro Garza, meanwhile, not only contributed with his glove but also broke the school record for career hits, tallying his 253rd in the seventh inning and finishing with two hits on the night. Garza surpassed Jimmy Allen’s previous mark of 252, set between 2011 and 2014.
Offensively, Cal Poly outhit Saint Mary’s 9-6, with Garza and Murray each collecting two hits. The Mustangs hit .310 as a team over the regional, with Murray leading the way at a blistering .583 (7-for-12) and Tayman right behind at .500 (6-for-12) with two home runs. Left fielder Dante Vachini (5-for-11) and Castellon (5-for-16) also chipped in, rounding out a lineup that proved both deep and dangerous.
For head coach Larry Lee, who has guided the Mustangs since 2003, the breakthrough was deeply personal. "Great weekend. Hard-fought games. Four really, really good teams," Lee said. "Our players responded, and it was different guys each game, so it was a total team effort. Josh, Ryan and Gavin supplied a lot of the theatrics to get us over the top and win this regional." Lee, now 8-8 in regional play, was visibly moved by the moment. "Yeah, it's pretty emotional for me," he shared. "I had my wife and daughter in the stands. My son was watching back in Minneapolis, and it's cool. It's just a lot of hard work over the years, representing San Luis Obispo County, representing Cal Poly. It's a pretty great moment, so there's a lot of emotion that goes into it for me."
The accolades poured in as Tayman was named the most outstanding player of the four-team tournament, also earning a spot on the all-tournament team at catcher. He was joined by Castellon (shortstop), Vachini (left field), Murray (center field), and pitchers Carson Turnquist and Naess, underscoring the team’s all-around excellence. The Mustangs’ pitching staff finished the regional with a sparkling 1.33 ERA, a testament to their dominance on the mound.
Saint Mary’s, meanwhile, saw their stellar season end despite entering the regional as one of the nation’s top-hitting teams. They managed just six hits in the finale, with center fielder Tanner Griffith leading the way, going 3-for-3 with a single, double, and triple. Right fielder Diego Castellanos extended his hitting streak to 39 games, a remarkable feat in its own right.
With the win, Cal Poly became the first Big West team to reach the NCAA Super Regionals since Cal State Fullerton in 2018. The Mustangs now await the outcome of the Morgantown Regional, where West Virginia and Kentucky will square off for the right to advance. If West Virginia wins, Cal Poly will travel to Morgantown for the best-of-three Super Regional. Should Kentucky prevail, the NCAA will decide the host, with both teams submitting bids. The Super Regional series is set to begin later this week, with dates and location to be finalized after Monday’s decisive game.
As the Mustangs prepare for their next challenge, the excitement in San Luis Obispo is palpable. With a balanced attack, a deep pitching staff, and a knack for late-game heroics, Cal Poly’s magical postseason run continues—and the best may be yet to come.