Matadors Drop Series Finale to #13 UCSB, 8-2

Sunday, April 17

Santa Barbara, CA

1:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

22-13, 1-8

#13 UC Santa Barbara

24-7-1, 5-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
CSUN	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	8	0
UCSB	1	0	3	2	0	1	1	0	X	8	12	0

Photo by: CSUN Athletics

Matadors Drop Series Finale to #13 UCSB, 8-2

4/17/2016 4:53:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

En Español

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

CSUN Baseball (22-13, 1-8 BWC) fell for the third-straight day to No. 13 UC Santa Barbara (24-7-1, 5-1 BWC) as the Matadors dropped the series finale to the Gauchos, 8-2, on Sunday afternoon at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. Yusuke Akitoshi and Elias Orona each registered two-hit games for the Matadors while Branden Berry extended his streak of reaching base safely to 27 games with an RBI single in the sixth inning.

After competing in two one-run contests in the first two games of the series, the Gauchos took control of game three early by posting six runs through the first four innings en route to earning the victory.

On the fifth pitch of the bottom of the first, Andrew Calica belted a solo home run to right to give UCSB the early 1-0 lead. Matador starter Conner O'Neil shutout the Gauchos in the second but UC Santa Barbara put together a three-run third to extend its advantage.

O'Neil allowed two of the first three batters to reach to start the third to put runners at first and second base. Josh Adams stepped to the plate next and drove a double down the left field line to clear the bases. Two batters later, Dempsey Grover followed suit with a double to left to make it 4-0.

UCSB would not be done as the Gauchos plated two more in the fourth as Devon Gradford hit a two-out, two-run triple to right field.

Meanwhile, UCSB starter Joe Record limited the Matadors from gaining much momentum throughout his six innings of work. CSUN placed a runner on base in four of the first five innings but in each instance Record escaped trouble to keep the Matadors off the scoreboard.

CSUN finally cracked the run column in the sixth to chip away at the six-run deficit. Akitoshi led off the frame with a single to center and the speedy shortstop stole second base moments later. With a runner in scoring position, Berry came through with a single through the right side to plate his team-leading 28^th RBI of the season.

Jayson Newman kept the hitting parade going with a single to move Berry up to second base before Nolan Bumstead drove in the Matadors' second run with a single to center with one out.

With its lead trimmed to 6-2, UCSB responded with single tallies in the sixth and seventh innings to build its lead back to six.

In the bottom of the sixth, Adams singled with the bases loaded to plate a run and Thomas Rowan delivered a two-out RBI single through the left side to give the Gauchos an 8-2 advantage an inning later.

The Matadors picked up a one-out single from Fred Smith in the seventh and Orona reached on a hit by pitch in the ninth but CSUN would be denied of any runs in either inning as UCSB held on for the 8-2 win. Despite only scoring twice on the day, the Matadors were only sat down in order twice in the contest.

With hits in all three games of the series, Smith has now reached base safely in 32 of 35 games this season while he has gone hitless in only four games.

CSUN returns home for a three-game series with the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors starting on Friday at Matador Field. First pitch for the opener is slated for 3 p.m.