By Brad Meyer
Reporter
The CSU Bakersfield wrestling team dominated with their victory over PAC-12 rival Cal Poly on Wednesday, Jan. 31. With three straight technical falls and a pin at the very end, the strong finish carried CSU Bakersfield to a 28-15 win.
“We dominated the matches we were favored in, I’m a little disappointed because we should of won a couple of those toss-ups,” said CSUB Head Coach Manny Rivera. “Ultimately the goal is to peek in the postseason and we’ll keep getting better along the way.”
The dual meet started with redshirt-sophomore, Mark Penyacsek, at 285 pounds, Penyacsek fell to Cal Poly’s Spencer Empey 6-2 giving Cal Poly a 3-0 lead over CSUB.
Up next, No. 27 Sergio Mendez (125) would need no comebacks this week as he finished off his opponent, Yoshito Funakoshi, 8-0 to take a major decision victory and give CSUB the lead 4-3.
No. 28 Sean Nickell (133) pulled off another win with his strong ground game and ability to control his opponent. Taking the win at 5-1, CSUB went up 7-3 after three.
“I like to be really stingy [when] giving up scores, maybe giving two escapes but I like the matches where the opponent gets zero points or one point,” said Nickell.
Cal Poly answered back with a first round pin over No. 25 Russell Rohlfing adding six points to their scorecard to take the lead over CSUB 9-7.
The freshman, Kalani Tonge (149), would then find himself down 7-2 after three periods. Cal Poly would stretch their lead to go up 12-7.
After two hard losses,CSUB would shift the course of the night and go on technical fall streak starting with captain No. 16 Coleman Hammond (157). Hammond took the victory 16-0 ending it in the second period bringing the team’s score to a tie 12-12.
“Just going out with energy is big, getting takedowns early and I’ll keep getting those early takedowns and staying on top,” said Hammond.
Up next, Lorenzo De La Riva (165), would take another tech fall for CSUB putting up a final score 18-2 all within the first period. CSUB regained the lead 17-12 with three bouts to go.
Redshirt-junior Bryan Battisto (174) also had a tech fall victory over his opponent. With multiple takedowns, this match came to an end in the second period and Battisto’s victory helped CSUB take the commanding lead they expected 22-12.
Dominic Ducharme (184) fought tough and went all three rounds with implications of a come from behind victory being down two going into the third period. The final score went to Cal Poly’s Matt Wilhelm 5-3.
The last bout of the evening was between, captain, No. 14 Matt Williams (197), and Cal Poly’s No. 23 Tom Lane. With a team victory secured, Williams went in and pinned No. 23 Lane in the first period. A strong performance that really solidified the night as a whole.
The Roadrunners will compete at Cal Baptist Feb. 9. The next home dual for the Roadrunners will be Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. against Oregon State University in the Icardo Center.
