CSUN Falls in Extra Innings to Hawai'i, 6-5

Saturday, April 23

Northridge, CA

1:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

23-14, 2-9

Hawai'i

18-18, 7-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Hawai'i	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	0	0	1	6	11	1
CSUN	0	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	0	0	5	12	1

Photo by: CSUN Athletics

CSUN Falls in Extra Innings to Hawai'i, 6-5

4/23/2016 7:34:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

CSUN Baseball (23-14, 2-9 BWC) dropped a hard-fought Big West Conference contest to Hawai'i (18-18, 7-4 BWC), 6-5, in 10 innings. Both Yusuke Akitoshi and Nolan Bumstead each had three-hit games while Fred Smith drove in two runs including recording his first home run of the season. CSUN rallied from a two-run deficit in the late innings to force extras but the Rainbow Warriors scored the go-ahead run on a leadoff home run in the top of the 10^th to take control of the game.

"If we get the timely hit than it's a different day but we didn't get that done when we needed to," said head coach Greg Moore about the extra inning defeat. "We'll come back tomorrow and work to win the series."

CSUN took the lead early with single tallies in the third and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead. Hawai'i starter Kyle Von Ruden retired the first two batters in the third but Akitoshi extended the inning with a double into the gap in right center field. Moments later, Justin Toerner followed with a triple to right to plate the game's first run. An inning later, Branden Berry went yard with a towering shot that sailed over the left field wall that doubled the CSUN advantage.

Matador starter Kenny Rosenberg sat down the first five batters of the game and pitched around two Hawai'i hits in the second inning. Following a clean third inning, he would run into trouble in the top of the fourth. With runners at first and second base and two outs, Rosenberg struck out Alex Sawelson but the batter reached on a wild pitch. Rosenberg though recovered to retire the next batter to strand three runners on base.

In the fifth, Hawai'i finally scored on Rosenberg with a two-run frame to even the game. Following a one-out walk, Jonathan Weeks hit a single that was speared at third but an errant throw allowed Matt LoCoco to come around and score from first base. Weeks advanced to third base later in the inning on a wild pitch and he would eventually score on a sacrifice fly from Jacob Sheldon-Collins.

The Matadors would have an answer in the bottom of the sixth as Smith hit an opposite field home run to left to put CSUN back in front at 3-2.

Trailing again in the contest, the Rainbow Warriors responded with a huge seventh inning. LoCoco tied the game on a one-out double down the left field line and Sheldon-Collins drove in the go-ahead run with single up the middle two batters later. Eric Ramirez followed with another RBI hit through the right side that pushed the Hawai'i lead to 5-3.

Right-handed pitcher Conner O'Neil entered the game in the seventh and stranded two runners on base by recording the final two outs of the inning to keep CSUN within striking distance.

The Matadors got a run back in their half of the seventh. Two walks and an infield single loaded the bases with one out for Smith. The junior infielder hit a liner that was caught in center field, allowing Elias Orona to tag and score from third base.

O'Neil tossed a shutout eighth, giving CSUN an opportunity to even the game up in the bottom half of the frame. Bumstead and Akitoshi hit back-to-back singles with one out and Orona came through with a hit up the middle to plate the tying run.

The Rainbow Warriors threatened in the top of the ninth to take the lead right back but O'Neil stranded two runners by striking out Marcus Doi to end the frame.

Following a scoreless bottom of the ninth, the game entered into extra innings where Hawai'i collected the key hit of the afternoon. Kekai Rios hit a leadoff go-ahead home run that just sailed over a leaping Justin Toerner in center field.

The Matadors looked for the equalizer in the home half of the 10^th inning as Albee Weiss worked a one-out walk to put the tying run on base but Jose Ruiz would ground into a double play to end the game.

Berry's home run in the fourth extended his on-base steak to 29 games and his hit streak to nine.

The teams will complete the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Matador Field. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.