California State University at Northridge
20-12, 1-6
#13 UC Santa Barbara
25-7, 3-1
Matadors' Rally Falls Short in 7-4 Defeat to #13 UC Santa Barbara
4/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.-
CSUN Baseball was unable to overcome an early six-run deficit, as the Matadors fell 7-4 to #13 UC Santa Barbara on Friday afternoon at Matador Field. Four different Matador hitters had multiple hits in the contest including Ryan Raslowsky, Yusuke Akitoshi, Dylan Alexander and William Colantono.
Friday starter Calvin Copping struggled with his control at the outset of the game, which gave UCSB the opportunity to take advantage and plate early runs on the right-hander.
After walking two and hitting a batter to start the first, Copping surrendered a walk to bring home the game's first run. The next four Gaucho hitters each came through with singles to build a 6-0 lead over CSUN. Copping rallied to end the frame on a pair of strikeouts and a fly out, stranding two base runners.
Looking up at a six-run deficit before stepping into the batters box, the Matador lineup set their sights on chipping away at the UCSB lead.
In the bottom of the first, after UCSB starter Dillon Tate retired the first two batters, Raslowsky reached on a bunt single to keep the inning alive. Nolan Bumstead followed with a double down the left field line to bring home Raslowsky for CSUN's first run of the contest.
Two innings later, the Matadors again hit the scoring column by manufacturing a run. After Chester Pak singled and Justin Toerner walked, Raslowsky moved both base runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. A run then would come in on a Bumstead RBI groundout to cut the lead to 6-2.
In the fourth, CSUN inched closer by plating two more. With runners on first and third with one out, Pak hit a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3. Two batters later, Raslowsky singled to center to bring home CSUN's fourth fun.
Tate would escape the fourth by striking out Bumstead, stranding two runners in the process.
On the flip side, Copping settled down after the rough first inning to toss four straight shutout frames. The junior retired 15 of the final 17 batters he faced on the afternoon. The Matador bullpen took over in the sixth and the trio of Nick Viola, Conner O'Neil and Joe Ryan pitched four innings combined, allowing three hits.
Despite the pitching staff keeping CSUN within striking distance, the bats were unable to push across any runs after the fourth. UCSB stranded two CSUN runners in the fifth and three more in the eighth to preserve its lead.
CSUN loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth but Toerner popped out to end the frame.
The Gauchos added an insurance run in the ninth to take a 7-4 lead and held on for the three-run victory.
CSUN resumes its three-game set with UC Santa Barbara on Saturday afternoon at Matador Field with a 2 p.m. start time. The contest will be televised on ESPN3.
Photo Courtesy of BHEPhotos
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dillon Tate (5-3)
L: Copping, Calvin (4-3)
S: Robby Nesovic (4)
Batting:
2B: Andrew Calica 1 ; Cameron Newell 2
RBI: Robby Nesovic 1 ; Luke Swenson 2 ; Dalton Kelly 1 ; Peter Maris 1 ; Clay Fisher 1
SH: Woody Woodward 1
SF: Luke Swenson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Andrew Calica 1 ; Cameron Newell 2 ; Woody Woodward 1 ; Robby Nesovic 1 ; Luke Swenson 1 ; Dalton Kelly 1
HBP: Woody Woodward 1 ; Campbell Wear 1
Batting:
2B: Bumstead, Nolan 1
RBI: Pak, Chester 1 ; Raslowsky, Ryan 1 ; Bumstead, Nolan 2
SH: Raslowsky, Ryan 1 ; Blaser, Nick 1 ; Orona, Elias 2
SF: Pak, Chester 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pak, Chester 1 ; Raslowsky, Ryan 1 ; Alexander, Dylan 1 ; Colantono, William 1
HBP: Akitoshi, Yusuke 1
