Tuesday, March 7
Los Angeles, CA
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
at
UCLA
Photo by: Paul Trafecanty
Matadors Travel to UCLA, Host Holy Cross in Midweek Games
3/6/2017 3:18:00 PM | Baseball
FULL PDF RELEASE
NORTHRIDGE, CA---
CSUN Baseball (6-5) returns to the field for a busy week of non-conference action. Before hosting a four-game series this weekend, the Matadors will travel to UCLA on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. followed by a Wednesday afternoon home match-up with Holy Cross at 2 p.m. Live audio will be available for Tuesday's game on the CSUN Sports Network with Ross Porter on the call. A live video broadcast of Wednesday's contest will also be available on the CSUN Sports Network via Big West.TV with Porter providing play-by-play from Matador Field.Â
Probable Pitching Match-Ups:
CSUNÂ at UCLA
Tuesday, March 7
Ray Diaz (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Justin Hooper (0-0, 4.09 ERA)
Holy Cross at CSUN
Wednesday, March 8
TBD vs. TBD
The Matadors' game with the Crusaders on Wednesday opens up nine-game homestand. CSUN continues the home stretch this weekend with a four game series with Purdue beginning Friday before hosting Saint Mary's for four games next weekend.Â
Last weekend, the Matadors posted an impressive series win at nationally-ranked Vanderbilt. CSUNÂ stunned the Commodores in game one with a 6-4 victory and followed that up with 4-1 decision on Saturday. Vanderbilt avoided the sweep with an 11-3 victory in the series finale.
Andrew Weston pitched well in the opener, tossing six innings while striking out four and surrendering three runs. However, the pitching performance of the weekend belonged to Tei Vanderford who tossed a complete game and allowed one run to go along with eight strikeouts in the win. For his efforts, Vanderford earned Big West Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday.Â
On the hitting side, Riley Conlan picked up five hits in the series including a home run, five RBI, three runs scored and two doubles. Also providing offensive punch, Albee Weiss went 4-for-11 in the series and collected a home run and two RBI. Fred Smith finished with four hits while Alvaro Rubalcaba and Nick Sablock each had three hits.Â
Through 11 games, Weiss has registered the most hits on the team with 14 to go along with three home runs, 12 RBI, five runs scored, two doubles and a .333 batting average. In his first season with the Matadors, Rubalcaba has produced a strong start as well hitting .333 with four runs scored, three walks and two RBI. Also hitting above the .300 mark, Smith has batted .310 in the early going with four RBI, six walks and nine runs scored.Â
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Ray Diaz will be making his first career start Tuesday afternoon against the Bruins. Also making his season debut in the game, Diaz appeared in 11 games last season and posted a 1-1 record to go along with 10 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. Opposing hitters managed just a .208 batting average against Diaz. Wednesday's Matador starter is yet to be announced.Â
The Bruins are 41-40-1 against the Matadors all-time but have dropped the last three meetings. Completing its first season sweep of the Bruins last year since 1998, the Matadors took the first meeting, 6-5, last Tuesday at Matador Field. In the win, the Matadors trailed 3-2 in the sixth but scored four times in the frame to take control of the contest. Smith hit a game-tying home run in the sixth and Nolan Bumstead ripped a two-out, two-run single to break the tie.Â
Wednesday's contest will be the first ever meeting between CSUN and Holy Cross.Â
A Closer Look at UCLA
The Bruins are 5-5 on the season, after going 1-2 at the Dodgertown Classic last weekend. UCLA defeated Michigan in the tournament, 1-0, but fell to San Diego (3-1) and USC (4-3). At Jackie Robinson Stadium, UCLA has won five of eight games this season.Â
Junior Sean Bouchard continues his strong start to the season, batting .371 with four home runs, five runs scored and nine RBI. Freshman Ryan Kreidler is second on the team runs batted in with six to go along with five runs scored, two doubles and a .250 batting average. Making his second start of the season against the Matadors, sophomore left-handed pitcher Justin Hooper has a 4.09 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 11.0 innings.Â
A Closer Look at Holy Cross
Through six games, the Crusaders are looking for their first victory of the season. Currently, facing UC Riverside in a four-game series that will conclude on Tuesday, Holy Cross dropped the first two games in the series by the finals of 9-8 and 5-2. The Crusaders are coming off a 30-27 season in 2016, which ended with a loss to Navy in the Patriot League Championship.Â
Freshman outfielder Austin Masel leads the Crusaders with a .364 batting average to go along with two runs and two RBI while junior infielder Cam O'Neill has a team-best four RBI in the early going with a .217 average at the plate. As a pitching staff, the Crusaders have registered a 5.88 ERA and 31 total strikeouts in 49.0 innings of work.Â
NORTHRIDGE, CA---
CSUN Baseball (6-5) returns to the field for a busy week of non-conference action. Before hosting a four-game series this weekend, the Matadors will travel to UCLA on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. followed by a Wednesday afternoon home match-up with Holy Cross at 2 p.m. Live audio will be available for Tuesday's game on the CSUN Sports Network with Ross Porter on the call. A live video broadcast of Wednesday's contest will also be available on the CSUN Sports Network via Big West.TV with Porter providing play-by-play from Matador Field.Â
Probable Pitching Match-Ups:
CSUNÂ at UCLA
Tuesday, March 7
Ray Diaz (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Justin Hooper (0-0, 4.09 ERA)
Holy Cross at CSUN
Wednesday, March 8
TBD vs. TBD
The Matadors' game with the Crusaders on Wednesday opens up nine-game homestand. CSUN continues the home stretch this weekend with a four game series with Purdue beginning Friday before hosting Saint Mary's for four games next weekend.Â
Last weekend, the Matadors posted an impressive series win at nationally-ranked Vanderbilt. CSUNÂ stunned the Commodores in game one with a 6-4 victory and followed that up with 4-1 decision on Saturday. Vanderbilt avoided the sweep with an 11-3 victory in the series finale.
Andrew Weston pitched well in the opener, tossing six innings while striking out four and surrendering three runs. However, the pitching performance of the weekend belonged to Tei Vanderford who tossed a complete game and allowed one run to go along with eight strikeouts in the win. For his efforts, Vanderford earned Big West Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday.Â
On the hitting side, Riley Conlan picked up five hits in the series including a home run, five RBI, three runs scored and two doubles. Also providing offensive punch, Albee Weiss went 4-for-11 in the series and collected a home run and two RBI. Fred Smith finished with four hits while Alvaro Rubalcaba and Nick Sablock each had three hits.Â
Through 11 games, Weiss has registered the most hits on the team with 14 to go along with three home runs, 12 RBI, five runs scored, two doubles and a .333 batting average. In his first season with the Matadors, Rubalcaba has produced a strong start as well hitting .333 with four runs scored, three walks and two RBI. Also hitting above the .300 mark, Smith has batted .310 in the early going with four RBI, six walks and nine runs scored.Â
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Ray Diaz will be making his first career start Tuesday afternoon against the Bruins. Also making his season debut in the game, Diaz appeared in 11 games last season and posted a 1-1 record to go along with 10 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. Opposing hitters managed just a .208 batting average against Diaz. Wednesday's Matador starter is yet to be announced.Â
The Bruins are 41-40-1 against the Matadors all-time but have dropped the last three meetings. Completing its first season sweep of the Bruins last year since 1998, the Matadors took the first meeting, 6-5, last Tuesday at Matador Field. In the win, the Matadors trailed 3-2 in the sixth but scored four times in the frame to take control of the contest. Smith hit a game-tying home run in the sixth and Nolan Bumstead ripped a two-out, two-run single to break the tie.Â
Wednesday's contest will be the first ever meeting between CSUN and Holy Cross.Â
A Closer Look at UCLA
The Bruins are 5-5 on the season, after going 1-2 at the Dodgertown Classic last weekend. UCLA defeated Michigan in the tournament, 1-0, but fell to San Diego (3-1) and USC (4-3). At Jackie Robinson Stadium, UCLA has won five of eight games this season.Â
Junior Sean Bouchard continues his strong start to the season, batting .371 with four home runs, five runs scored and nine RBI. Freshman Ryan Kreidler is second on the team runs batted in with six to go along with five runs scored, two doubles and a .250 batting average. Making his second start of the season against the Matadors, sophomore left-handed pitcher Justin Hooper has a 4.09 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 11.0 innings.Â
A Closer Look at Holy Cross
Through six games, the Crusaders are looking for their first victory of the season. Currently, facing UC Riverside in a four-game series that will conclude on Tuesday, Holy Cross dropped the first two games in the series by the finals of 9-8 and 5-2. The Crusaders are coming off a 30-27 season in 2016, which ended with a loss to Navy in the Patriot League Championship.Â
Freshman outfielder Austin Masel leads the Crusaders with a .364 batting average to go along with two runs and two RBI while junior infielder Cam O'Neill has a team-best four RBI in the early going with a .217 average at the plate. As a pitching staff, the Crusaders have registered a 5.88 ERA and 31 total strikeouts in 49.0 innings of work.Â
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