TURLOCK — After issuing a leadoff walk in the ninth, Joe Ryan got a mound visit from head coach Kenny Leonesio. Apparently Ryan told his coach he's got enough in the tank to stay in.

Ryan stayed in the game and promptly struck out the side to complete yet another dominant performance. This time, he threw a two-hit shutout against the second best hitting team in the California Collegiate Athletic Association in a 2-0 Stanislaus State victory Friday night.

Under the Friday night lights, Ryan out-dueled Cal Poly Pomona's Ryan Alsworth in front of nearly 250 fans and a handful of pro scouts. His gritty night ended with him throwing 142 pitches.

The Warriors snapped a five-game losing streak to improved to 21-20 overall and 17-18 in the CCAA as they continued to fight for a spot in the CCAA Tournament. Cal Poly Pomona is now 20-19, 17-16 CCAA.

The night belonged to Ryan, once again. He managed the game early without the strikeouts and kept Broncos off bases. Pomona reached third base in the fifth, but a fly out and a backwards K (his second of the night) ended that threat. He would strikeout six more in the final four innings — including three in the ninth — to finish with eight.

No Bronco reached second base after the fifth inning.

Ryan, now with 108 strikeouts, remains No. 2 in NCAA Division II behind Michael Livingston of Young Harris College (Georgia). Livingston fanned 10 Friday night in a loss to bring his season total to 116. The four-time CCAA pitcher of the week leads the league by 34 strikeouts (Cal State East Bay's Alex Vesia has 74). Ryan also lowered his league-leading ERA among starters to 1.58.

On a night where runs were hard to come by, the Warriors manufactured two in the fifth inning. Back to back singles ahead of a bunt single by Vinny Margiotta loaded the bases. Ethan Utler scored on a Braeden Oki grounder before Brandon De La Guardia scored on a Michael Wyatt sac fly.

De La Guardia finished with two of the team's seven hits — all singles.

Games two and three of the series are on Saturday with the first game scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.