TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Cal State Bakersfield matched its dual meet victory total from a year ago in one night on Thursday.

The Roadrunners opened their wrestling season with victories over Drexel (Pa.) and Cal Poly.

The 25-18 win over Drexel wasn't decided until CSUB freshman Timmy Box scored a dramatic pin over Frank Cimato in 6:45.

With less than 30 seconds remaining in the match, Cimato and Box were tied 8-8 but Cimato had riding time advantage, which would have given him a tie-breaking point and Drexel the team victory.

Instead, Box flipped Cimato and put him on his back, then got the pin as the standing-room-only crowd in the CSUB Old Gym screamed its approval.

"Oh man, that was a lot of pressure," said Box, one of five Bakersfield products (four from Bakersfield High) in the Roadrunner lineup Thursday.

The order of the matches are determined by draw, which had the 149-pound match opening both duals.

"As soon as they drew the weight classes I knew I was last and I had a feeling it would come down to the last match," Box said.

As the match wound down, Box frantically looked for any opening.

"He was riding me pretty tough," Box said. "He gave me some space. I've been pretty good about catching people and pinning them like that."

But Box said his hopes were less dramatic.

"I was looking for at least an escape. We went off to the side and he created some body between his body and my body. I noticed it and just took it."

Bryce Hammond, another freshman from Bakersfield High, had a first-match pin and second match technical fall in the most dominant performance from the Roadrunners.

But Hammond could only sit back and cheer on Box in the Drexel match.

"I felt pretty confident him being there," Hammond said. "He's so explosive he can go off on somebody at any time."

CSUB coach Mike Mendoza saw his team suffer through a 2-7 dual meet season and sixth-place finish in the Pac-12 last season.

"We had strong performances from our freshmen and that shows real promise for our program," Mendoza said.

"That (the Drexel match) was a great win for our team," Mendoza said. "We had a lot of gutty performances. There are a lot of things we need to work on from that first match. I've been on the losing end and you're more critical when you lose than when you're on the winning end."

The Cal Poly match wasn't close. CSUB led 18-0 before the Mustangs had a pin, major decision and decision to pull within 18-13. But the Roadrunners closed it out by winning the final three matches for a 27-13 win.

In addition to Box and Hammond, CSUB also had two victories each from 125-pound Tyler Iwamura, 133-pound Ian Nickell and 165-pound David Meza.

CSUB 25, Drexel (Pa.) 18

149--Fenningham, D, def. Kelley, 11-5; 157 -- Sommer, D, pin Fierro, 2:08; 165 -- Meza, CSUB, def. Aungst, 7-5; 174 -- Hammond, CSUB, pin Moran, 2:45; 184 -- Franklin, CSUB, def. Sternlieb, 9-4; 197 -- Palik, D, pin Hurtado, 4:06; 285 -- Callendar, D, dec. Cervantes, 10-6; 125 -- Iwamura, CSUB, dec. Goodwin, 6-0; 133 -- Nickell, CSUB, maj. dec. Lutzlow, 8-0; 141 -- Box, CSUB, pin Cimato, 6:45

CSUB 27, Cal Poly 13

149 -- Kelley, CSUB, pin D.Rocha, 2:24; 157 -- Fierro, CSUB, maj. dec. Weidermann, 10-0; 165 -- Meza, CSUB, dec. King, 13-7; 174 -- Hammond, CSUB, tech fall Woods (15-0), 5:00; 184 -- Dougherty, CP, maj. dec. Franklin, 10-2; 197 -- Goodvin, CP, pin Hurtado, 1:11; 285 -- Disney, CP, dec. Cervantes, 5-2; 125 -- Iwamura, CSUB, dec. McKirdy, 4-0; 133 -- Nickell, CSUB, dec. Lotto, 6-2; 141 -- Box, CSUB, dec. B.Rocha, 5-2.