Six-Run Seventh Lifts Towson Past CSUN

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

A six-run frame proved to be the difference in CSUN Baseball's (3-4) 6-5 loss to Towson on Sunday afternoon at Matador Field. Kevin Riley posted his second three-hit game of the series to go along with an RBI and a run scored. Albee Weiss and William Colantono also recorded two hits while Justin Toerner drove in a run and scored twice. The Matadors took a three-run lead into the seventh, but the Tigers orchestrated a huge rally to slip by CSUN in the series finale.

"We had a couple guys [on base] that we could have cashed in, and we didn't do it," said head coach Greg Moore. "[We had] plenty of opportunities, plenty of chances to knock a guy in here or there, and it didn't work for us. We didn't play good enough 'D' and didn't pitch well enough. We couldn't take advantage of the chances that we did have so we couldn't get it done today."

Receiving the start, sophomore Matt Campbell tossed a career-high 3.2 innings, allowing no runs. Campbell retired the first seven batters of the game before pitching around a pair of two-out singles in the top of the third inning. The Tigers threatened to score in the fourth inning against Campbell after the two batters reached, however the right hander induced a key 4-6-3 double play to limit the damage. After Campbell walked Logan Burke, Blake Schriever entered the fray and struck out John Drexel two batters later.

CSUN struck first in the bottom of the third thanks to key execution at the plate. With Alex Hull at first base, the Matadors called a hit and run as Colantono hit a well-placed ball up the middle, crossing up second baseman Noah Cebrera, to advance the runner up to third. Toerner followed with a sacrifice fly to put CSUN on the scoreboard.

The Matadors added a run in the fourth on a Nick Sablock RBI groundout to the right side with runners at the corners.

CSUN looked for more in the fifth as Riley stepped to the plate with two runners on and two outs. Riley ripped a 1-1 pitch to left field for a double, scoring Toerner from second base. Starter Michael Adams would walk the bases loaded in the inning before eventually striking out Sablock to prevent any further damage.

Schriever pitched into the sixth inning, striking out four batters while scattering two hits before giving way to Jacob Sylvester. The first two batters were retired in order to start the seventh, but Towson would quickly turn the tables in a hurry.

All with two outs, seven consecutive batters reached base against the Matadors including Burke and Trey Martinez who collected two-run singles. All five of the Tiger hits in the innings came on singles.

Now trailing by three, CSUN responded with a two-run seventh. Back-to-back singles from Toerner and Fred Smith started the frame followed by a Riley Conlan walk to load the bases. After a pitching change on the mound, Riley grounded into a double play, scoring a run. Weiss punched in another run on an infield single to the left side.

The Matadors would place runners on base in the eighth and ninth innings but were turned away in each frame. Kyle Stricker stranded the tying run at second base in the eighth by forcing Toerner to ground out. In the bottom of the ninth, Stricker recorded the final out on a grounder off the bat of Weiss with the tying run at first.

Riley had a standout series, going 8-for-16 at the plate with three RBI and three runs scored. Also enjoying a big series, Weiss drove in a team-high seven runs in the four games along with a home run and a double. CSUN's starting pitching allowed just two earned runs in the series in 22 innings of work.

CSUN returns to the field on Tuesday afternoon, hosting UCLA at 2 p.m.

Six-Run Seventh Lifts Towson Past CSUN

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Team Stats

Kevin Riley

Albee Weiss

William Colantono

Justin Toerner

Players Mentioned

Matt Campbell

William Colantono

Riley Conlan

Alex Hull

Kevin Riley

Nick Sablock

Blake Schriever

Fred Smith

Jacob Sylvester

Justin Toerner

Albee Weiss