Matadors Fall at UCLA, 7-2

LOS ANGELES, CA---

CSUN Baseball (6-6) dropped a 7-2 decision to UCLA on Tuesday evening at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Nolan Bumstead drove in both Matador runs in the fourth inning while Alvaro Rubalcaba reached base three times and stole a base. Balanced by a 13-hit attack, UCLA scored multiple runs in three different frames to defeat the Matadors and earn a split in the season series.

"We didn't get the big hit when we needed it but we didn't pitch well enough today to make those opportunities matter," said head coach Greg Moore. "I thought we took some decent at bats but we weren't quite as consistent as we've been lately."

Sophomore right hander Ray Diaz earned his first collegiate start in the game and got off to a strong start, blanking the Bruins in the first inning. UCLA would bounce back an inning later with a two-run frame as Ryan Kriedler collected an RBI single and Daniel Amaral drove in Jeremy Ydens on a sacrifice fly.

Relieving Diaz, Joey Deceglie stranded two base runners in the second inning but UCLA would again strike in the third. After Deceglie walked Jake Pries to start the frame, Sean Bouchard popped up to shallow right but the ball would drop in-between two Matadors. A wild pitch would bring in UCLA's third run and Nick Valaika knocked in the team's fourth on a groundout to second base.

Despite posting five hits on the night, the Matadors were retired in order just three times. Turned back in the first inning after two batters reached with two outs, the Matadors finally cracked the scoring column in the fourth.

Weiss began the rally in the inning with a one-out single and he later moved up on a Nick Sablock walk. After a balk put both runners in scoring position, Bumstead hit a flare that dropped in right field, bringing home two runs.

Kyle Nicol entered the game in the fourth and promptly struck out the first four batters he faced. The Bruins, however, would flip the script in the fifth, putting together a series of hits to add to their lead. With a runner at first base and one out, four-straight singles pushed across two more runs, and Amaral brought in the team's seventh run on a bases loaded walk.

Looking to cool off the UCLA bats, the right-handed tandem of Matt Campbell and Ricky Rivera combined to shutout the Bruins over the last 4.1 innings. Campbell tossed 2.1 innings, scattering three hits while Rivera made his CSUN debut by tossing a scoreless ninth inning.

Holding the Bruins off the scoreboard after the fifth, the Matadors were unable to make up any ground during that span as UCLA's bullpen tossed 5.2 innings of shutout baseball to post the win.

For the Bruins, Moises Ceja hurled 2.2 shutout innings and earned the victory while Kriedler led the way offensively with three hits and two RBI.

The Matadors return to action on Wednesday afternoon for another midweek game against visiting Holy Cross. First pitch from Matador Field is set for 2 p.m.

Matadors Fall at UCLA, 7-2

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Team Stats

Riley Conlan

Albee Weiss

Nick Sablock

Nolan Bumstead

Players Mentioned

Nolan Bumstead

Matt Campbell

Joey Deceglie

Ray Diaz

Kyle Nicol

Ricky Rivera

Alvaro Rubalcaba

Nick Sablock

Albee Weiss