Matadors Drop Series Finale to Purdue

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

CSUN Baseball (10-7) suffered a 9-3 loss to Purdue in the teams' series finale on Monday afternoon at Matador Field. Albee Weiss drove in two of the Matadors' three runs on a home run in the first inning while Kevin Riley notched his fourth RBI of the series with a sacrifice fly. Taking the tough luck loss, freshman right-hander Kyle Nicol only gave up one hit but allowed the go-ahead run in the sixth inning giving Purdue a lead it would not relinquish for the remainder of the game.

"We just didn't get ahead out of the bullpen today. We fell behind in too many counts and it cost us free bases," said head coach Greg Moore. "We left some guys on base. [Purdue] did a good job of executing some pitches down in the zone. We didn't get the rhythm of that big inning going but I think that Purdue did a nice job as well."

Seeking a four-game sweep, the Matadors jumped on the Boilermakers quickly on one swing of the bat. After the first two batters were sat down to start the bottom of the first, Riley walked and Weiss followed with a homer to right field to put the Matadors on top 2-0.

Making his first career start, left hander Joey Deceglie tossed a scoreless first but the Boilermakers rebounded with a two-run frame in the top of the second. Consecutive doubles including a two-out drive down the left-field line off the bat of Bryce Bonner cut the Matador lead in half. Bonner would touch home plate moments later on a wild pitch.

CSUN threatened to take the lead right back in the third as Justin Toerner and Fred Smith walked and executed a double steal later in the frame. Purdue would walk the bases loaded on an intentional free pass to Nolan Bumstead, bringing Riley Conlan to the plate with two outs. Ross Learnard battled Conlan to a 3-2 count before eventually striking him out to end the frame.

The Matador bullpen kept the Boilermakers off the scoreboard for three-straight frames. Nicol entered the game in the third inning and stranded the go-ahead run at second base by retiring Jacson McGowan. Pitching around a leadoff walk in the fourth, Nicol stranded another runner in scoring position after forcing Mike Madej to fly out to end the inning.

Still a tie game in the sixth, Purdue finally scratched across the go-ahead run to take a 3-2 lead. After Nicol surrendered a leadoff double, Blake Schriever entered the fray. A balk would move the runner up to third base, giving Skyler Hunter an opportunity to hit a sacrifice fly to right field.

Retired in order in the fifth and sixth innings, the Matadors looked to tie the game up in the seventh after Elias Orona doubled with one out. However, Purdue reliever Cameron Williams rebounded with back-to-back strikeouts to retire the side.

The Boilermakers would break the game open in the eighth, capitalizing on three walks and a pair of key hits. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Evan Kennedy worked a five-pitch walk to force in a run. Skyler Hunter later drove in a run on a single and Bonner brought in another on a sacrifice fly. Alec Olund recorded the big hit of the inning with a three-run double, clearing the bases to put Purdue ahead 9-2.

CSUN got a run back in the eighth on a Riley sacrifice fly, scoring Smith but Purdue would keep the Matadors scoreless the rest of the way.

Weiss' home run in the second inning was his fourth of the season, tying Riley for the team lead. His two RBI also give him a team-best 15 on the season.

The Matadors open up a four-game series against St. Mary's on Friday afternoon. First pitch from Matador Field is set for 2 p.m.

Matadors Drop Series Finale to Purdue

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Team Stats

Fred Smith

Albee Weiss

Nolan Bumstead

Nick Sablock

Players Mentioned

Nolan Bumstead

Riley Conlan

Joey Deceglie

Kyle Nicol

Elias Orona

Kevin Riley

Blake Schriever

Fred Smith

Justin Toerner

Albee Weiss