SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Portland's bullpen tossed six shutout innings and the Pilots rallied with two runs in the ninth to secure a 5-4 comeback win over the Cal Poly Mustangs Wednesday night at Baggett Stadium. Portland improves to 7-1 on the season matching the best start in program history.

Portland also was 7-1 to open the 2020, 2011, 2010, 1975 and 1971 campaigns.

Briley Knight finished 2-for-4 with a home run and scored the go-ahead run in the ninth. Ty Saunders finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and the game-tying RBI. Nich Klemp also picked up two hits for the Pilots.

Portland right hander Peter Allegro earned the win in relief. He struck out Brett Borgogno to leave the bases loaded in the eighth and then struck out two more batters in a scoreless ninth inning to improve to 1-0 on the season.

Left hander Nick Nygard was phenomenal in relief to keep the Pilots in the game. Nygard went 4.0 innings and allowed just two hits and struck out five batters.  

Trailing 4-3 entering the final frame, Ben Patacsil started the rally with a leadoff walk after falling behind 0-2. Knight then drilled a single to right advancing pinch runner Ethan Loveless to third. After a lineout for the first out of the frame, Knight stole second and then Saunders stepped up and hit an RBI-single to left to tie the game. Portland took the lead courtesy of a balk from Cal Poly reliever Dylan Villalobos.

The Mustangs (4-4) went ahead 1-0 in the first inning after a leadoff walk to Ryan Stafford and RBI-double by Brooks Lee. Gillis limited the damage by retiring the next three batters.

Lee did more damage an inning later with a bases clearing double off the left field wall to make it 4-0 Mustangs. The preseason All-American shortstop finished the day 3-for-4 with four runs batted in and a walk.

The Pilots chipped away at the deficit courtesy of an RBI single from Jake Holcroft in the third. Henry Muench followed with a pop fly into a tough spot in shallow right field that was dropped, bringing home Ty Saunders to make it 4-2.

Knight then belted a home run over the right field fence in the top of the fourth inning to make it a one run game. It was his second home run of the 2022 season.

Both teams finished with eight hits, while Portland did not commit an error and Cal Poly had one error. The Pilots left six runners on base and the Mustangs stranded nine.

Pilot sophomore right hander Brock Gillis started and went 3.0 innings and allowed four runs while scattering five hits and three walks with six strikeouts.

Cal Poly starter Steven Brooks surrendered three runs (two earned) in 4.0 innings with three strikeouts.

The Pilots will continue their road trip with a three-game set at Fresno State. Friday and Saturday games are scheduled for 6 p.m. starts, while Sunday's first pitch is at 1 p.m. Live video and stat links are available at PortlandPilots.com.