College Baseball Lineup Top 30 Poll

POMONA, Calif. – Nine outs separated the Cal Poly Pomona baseball team from the 2011 NCAA Division II College World Series.
 
When 2012 Opening Day arrives on Feb. 3, the Broncos will get a fresh start while using those bittersweet memories of last season as motivation for success. Expectations will certainly be higher for CPP after what the team achieved in 2011 under first-year head coach Randy Betten.
 
On Wednesday, College Baseball Lineup unveiled its preseason Top 30 poll and the Broncos ranked 16th nationally and first in the West Region ahead of conference rivals such as Chico State, UC San Diego and Sonoma State.
 
CPP joined those three squads at the 2011 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament in Stockton, Calif., and the event provided plenty of excitement. The first day of play featured a 22-9 decision with Chico State topping Sonoma State. On day two, UCSD survived an extra-inning thriller in eliminating the Wildcats.

Meanwhile, the Broncos showed their resilience after suffering a first-round loss to the top-seeded Tritons. CPP rallied for wins over the Wildcats and Seawolves, advancing into the conference championship against UCSD. Although the Broncos couldn't defeat the Tritons twice to capture the CCAA crown, CPP's stellar play in Stockton gave the program its first bid into the NCAA postseason since 1993.
 
Entering the next week of play as the No. 3 seed in the West, the Broncos once again rallied from an early tournament loss and managed to reach the region's championship. Needing two wins against the Seawolves of SSU, CPP came away with a walk-off victory off a wild pitch to force another contest. Although Sonoma State secured an 8-5 win to capture the title, the sudden resurgence of the Broncos' program in 2011 remains a highlight for the entire university.
 
Looking forward to the 2012 campaign, the CPP lineup is bolstered by shortstop Mike Santora, catcher Jenzen Torres and outfielder Jordan Whitman. The Broncos' pitching staff returns plenty of talent, with Kevin Bosson, Geoff Broussard, Ryan Dunn, Jake Reed and Erick Ruvalcaba leading the pack.

In another preseason poll, the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper rankings, CPP holds the 29th spot nationally.