Matadors Rally to Even Series with UC Riverside

Saturday, April 30

Riverside, CA

6:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

25-15, 4-10

UC Riverside

19-21, 6-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
CSUN	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	5	7	10	0
UC Riverside	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	8	1

Photo by: CSUN Athletics

Matadors Rally to Even Series with UC Riverside

4/30/2016 10:57:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

CSUN Baseball (25-15, 4-10 BWC) evened its weekend Big West Conference series with UC Riverside (19-21, 6-5 BWC) on Saturday evening at Riverside Sports Complex with a 7-2 come-from-behind victory. Fred Smith tallied three hits on the night including the game-tying hit in the seventh inning and Elias Orona hit the go-ahead RBI single in the ninth. The Matadors broke open a tie ballgame in the ninth inning with a five-run frame to take control of the contest and seal the win.

While the final score may not be indicate of a close game, the Matadors and Highlanders battled in a pitcher's duel throughout most of the contest. Starters Kenny Rosenberg and Keaton Leach battled in a seesaw affair on the mound as each pitcher worked into the seventh inning in a tight game. Leach gave the Highlanders 6.2 strong innings on the day, striking out four while giving up two runs on six hits. Rosenberg countered with 6.2 innings of his own as he recorded six strikeouts and surrendered two runs also on six base hits.

For the second-straight day, the Highlanders took the lead by scoring first at the outset of the game. With two runners in scoring position and one out in the first, Aaron Cisneros reached on a fielder's choice with a grounder to short, which brought home Drake Zarate from third base. On the play, the Matador defense limited the damage by teaming up to tag out Vince Fernandez between second and third.

CSUN answered back with a run of its own in the third on one swing of the bat. Yusuke Akitoshi hit a leadoff home run down the right field line to even the contest at 1-1. The Matadors would also receive three singles and a walk later in the inning, but Leach picked up a double play and a key lineout to center off the bat of Nolan Bumstead to end the frame.

After Fernandez hit a double in the first inning, Rosenberg settled down and set down nine of the next 10 batters to steady the ship.

The game remained tied until the fourth inning as the Highlanders received a timely two-out single to go back in front. With a runner at first base, Colby Schultz stroked an RBI double to right center field to give UCR the one-run edge.

Matador hitters reach base in the fifth and sixth innings but Leach would find away to keep the tying run on the base paths in each frame. Finally, in the seventh, CSUN came through with a clutch two-out hit of its own to even the game once more.

The top of the seventh inning started off innocently enough after Leach retired the first two batters in order but Jayson Newman and Albee Weiss worked walks to bring Smith to the plate. Down 0-2 in the count, the junior delivered with a single up the middle to plate the tying run.

Rosenberg trotted back out for the bottom of the seventh and set down two of the first three batters before giving up a two-out infield single to Steven Mercado II. Conner O'Neil entered out of the bullpen and got off to a bit of a rought start as he walked Mark Contreras on four pitches to load the bases. With UC Riverside threatening to take the lead again, O'Neil buckled down and forced Drake Zarate to ground out to second base to end the inning.

The Matadors looked to take their first lead of the game in the eighth inning after Bumstead singled and Dylan Alexander walked to start the frame. However, UCR reliever Alex Fagalde fanned the next three batters to strand both runners on base.

An inning after being denied of runs, CSUN broke through with a huge ninth to take a comanding five-run advantage. Following two walks and a sacrifice bunt, Orona came away with the hit of the night as he singled down the right field line to give CSUN a 3-2 lead. After Jose Ruiz drew a walk to load the bases, Alexander forced in another run with a five-pitch walk. CSUN continued with its string of productive at bats when Justin Toerner stepped to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly to center field. Two batters later, Branden Berry singled to right field to bring in two more insurance runs and push the lead to 7-2.

O'Neil returned for the ninth and faced a Highlander rally to start the frame before finally shutting the door. Shortly after striking out the side in the eighth, O'Neil gave up a single and a walk to begin the bottom of the ninth. He would bounce back though to retire the next three batters in order to end the game.

Smith's three-hit day gives him a team-leading 18 multiple-hit games on the season. He also leads the team with five three-hits games through 40 contests in 2016.

With two hits against the Highlanders on Saturday, Berry moved his season hit total to 47 in his first season with CSUN. Following three seasons with the Washington Huskies where he amassed 152 hits from 2012-15, Berry's 47 hits this season bring him one hit away from reaching 200 in his collegiate career.

CSUN looks for its second-straight Big West Conference series victory tomorrow afternoon against UC Riverside. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.