Matadors Drop Series Opener to Towson, 4-1

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

CSUN Baseball (2-2) suffered a 4-1 loss to Towson on Friday afternoon at Matador Field. Andrew Weston tossed 5.2 innings, striking out five batters while allowing just one earned run. Four Matadors tallied hits on the day led by Alvaro Rubalcaba who posted two hits and his first multiple-hit game in a CSUN uniform. Justin Toerner drove in the Matadors' only run with a two-out double in the fifth inning. In a 1-1 game in the top of the sixth, the Tigers scored two unearned runs to take control of the contest and post the season-opening victory.

For the second-straight start, Weston kept the Matadors in the game with strong work on the mound. Shutting out the Tigers through four innings, Weston scattered three hits with only one of his hits leaving the infield during that span.

In contrast, starter Skyler Morris kept the Matadors off balance as well, shutting out CSUN into the fifth inning. Morris retired the first eight batters he faced until Rubalcaba roped a single through the right side in the third. Albee Weiss also reached base with a two-out single in the fourth but Morris escaped further damage by retiring Nick Sablock on a grounder.

Still a scorless game in the fifth, Towson struck first against Weston. After a double from A.J. Gallo led off the frame, and a single from Richard Miller put runners at the corners with nobody out, Colin Dyer drove in a run on a fielder's choice to the right side. The Tigers would later load the bases with two outs but Weston stranded all three base runners by forcing a Colin Gimblet to fly out.

Trailing by a run, CSUN responded quickly with a run of its own in the bottom of the fifth. Elias Orona doubled to start the frame, and Toerner later roped a two-out double down the right field line to even the game at 1-1.

The Tigers would go back in front an inning later, capitalizing on a CSUN miscue. With a runner at first, a fielding error at second base on a grounder from Trey Martinez put runners at the corners. Gallo followed with an RBI single to put Towson back in front. Two batters later, Dyer drove in another run on a groundout to third base.

Towson added an insurance run in the eighth on a two-out single from Dyer off Conner O'Neil.

After the fifth, the Matadors were limited to one hit as Kyle Stricker tossed the final four innings to earn the save. Rubalcaba picked up his second hit of the afternoon in the eighth but Stricker forced Toerner to hit into a 3-6 double play to wipe away the rally.

Making his CSUN debut, junior Jacob Sylvester worked a perfect top of the ninth, striking out a batter.

The Matadors and Tigers will continue their weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. Game two will approximately start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

Matadors Drop Series Opener to Towson, 4-1

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Team Stats

Alvaro Rubalcaba

Justin Toerner

Albee Weiss

Elias Orona

Players Mentioned

Conner O'Neil

Elias Orona

Alvaro Rubalcaba

Nick Sablock

Jacob Sylvester

Justin Toerner

Albee Weiss

Andrew Weston