Matadors Lose Pitcher’s Duel to #13 UCSB, 1-0

Friday, April 15

Santa Barbara, CA

3:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

22-11, 1-6

#13 UC Santa Barbara

22-7-1, 3-1

CSUN

UCSB

Photo by: BHEPhotos

Matadors Lose Pitcher’s Duel to #13 UCSB, 1-0

4/15/2016 7:43:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

A sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning proved to be the difference in CSUN Baseball's (22-11, 1-6 BWC) 1-0 defeat at the hands of No. 13 UC Santa Barbara (22-7, 3-1 BWC) on Friday afternoon at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. Senior right-hander Angel Rodriguez pitched six effective innings, allowing one run but the Gauchos' Shane Bieber would win the pitcher's duel, holding CSUN to four hits to earn the victory.

For the second-straight game, the Matadors received an outstanding outing from their starting pitcher against a nationally-ranked opponent. Four days after Andrew Weston shut out Long Beach State over six innings to lead CSUN to a win, Rodriguez scattered nine hits and worked into the seventh inning to keep CSUN in the game against the Gauchos on Friday.

Rodriguez found himself in trouble in the first inning but he would rally to limit the damage. Three of the first four UCSB batters reached on singles to load the bases with one out. Rodriguez retired the next two batters but a run would come home on a sacrifice fly from Billy Frederick.

The Gauchos threatened again in the second after Ryan Clark walked and Andrew Calica singled with two outs but Rodriguez again got out of trouble by forcing Dempsey Grover to lineout to short to end the inning.

Rodriguez settled down in the middle innings, sitting down UCSB in order in the third, fifth and sixth innings to keep the Gauchos off the scoreboard.

Unfortunately for CSUN, the bats were unable to figure out Bieber throughout the afternoon. Bieber gave up just one hit through five innings and the Matadors were unable to get a runner into scoring position until the sixth. Despite Bieber's strong pitching on the mound, the Matadors continued to battle down the stretch.

In the top of the sixth, Nolan Flashman reached on an infield single and two batters later, he advanced to second base on a bunt from Fred Smith with two outs. The Matadors though came up empty in the frame after Yusuke Akitoshi grounded out.

CSUN again looked for the equalizer an inning later as Branden Berry doubled to lead off the seventh and he later took third base on a sacrifice bunt from Justin Toerner. With the tying run just 90 feet away from home plate, Bieber preserved the lead by sitting down the next two batters in order.

Still a 1-0 game, the Gauchos jumped on Rodriguez in the bottom of the seventh with three-straight singles to load the bases with nobody out. After a pitching change on the mound, Samuel Myers entered the fray and did a masterful job of keeping UCSB off the scoreboard. Myers got the first out of the inning after Berry fielded a grounder and forced out JJ Muno at home plate. Moments later, Myers got the pitch he needed to escape the jam as he retired Grover on an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.

Myers returned back out in the eighth and recorded the firs two outs before losing Frederick on a four-pitch walk. Nick Viola came out of the 'pen and struck out Clay Fisher, giving the Matadors one last crack at Bieber in the ninth.

Seeking the complete game shutout, Bieber surrendered a leadoff double to Smith. Akitoshi followed with a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third base but Bieber would again come through with the game on the line. Beiber forced Berry to ground out to second for the second out of the inning and two batters later he sat down Bumtead on a grounder to third to end the game.

In the contest, Berry extended his streak of reaching base safely to 25 games. Berry has also recorded hits in nine of the last 10 games.

Smith's 1-for-4 day at the plate gives him hits in six of seven conference games as he is hitting .345 against Big West opponents. Also continuing his streaky hitting, Flashman recorded his seventh hit in 17 conference at bats on Friday. Flashman is batting a team-best .412 in conference play for CSUN.

The Matadors look to even the series with UCSB tomorrow afternoon with left-handed pitcher Kenny Rosenberg slated to start against right-hander Noah Davis. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.