Matadors Drop Series Finale to UC Davis, 7-5

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

Taking a lead into the bottom of the eighth, CSUN Baseball (13-15, 1-2 BWC) could not hold off a late UC Davis (8-13, 2-1 BWC) rally in a 7-5 loss on Sunday afternoon at Dobbins Stadium. Kevin Riley finished with two hits, two RBI and a home run while Nick Sablock went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Receiving a no-decision, Andrew Weston provided seven quality innings and gave up four runs on seven hits. The Aggies used a three-run rally in the eighth to upend the Matadors and to take the series.

Much like the first two games of the series, the Matadors dug an early hole as UC Davis put up single tallies in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead. In the first, a run scored on a wild pitch and Ignacio Diaz added to the Aggie lead with a leadoff home run an inning later.

Spotting the Aggies two runs in the early going, Weston rebounded nicely with three consecutive shutout frames over the middle innings, giving the Matadors an opportunity to come back.

Right hander Justin Mullins kept the Matadors off balance through the first five innings. Mullins gave up just one hit over that span while allowing only one Matador base runner to reach third base.

Still trailing 2-0 into the sixth, the Matadors finally were able put together a pair of key hits to take the lead. Sablock began the sixth with a double down the right field line. After Justin Toerner moved up the base runner with a bunt, Fred Smith drove in Sablock with a sacrifice to left field. However, on the play an error in left field allowed Smith to reach base safely. Riley followed with a two-run home run to left field to put CSUN in front 3-2.

The Aggies would have an answer in the bottom half of the sixth as a key CSUN miscue gave UC Davis the lead right back. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Diaz picked up an RBI on a groundball. On the play, it appeared the Matadors would have a chance at a double play, but a throwing error on the relay from second base allowed a second run to come across that gave the Aggies the lead, 4-3.

Not going away, CSUN responded with clutch two-out hitting over the next two frames to take the lead once more. In the top of the seventh, with Alvaro Rubalcaba at third base, Sablock doubled to center field to tie the game. An inning later, Rubalcaba gave the Matadors the lead with an RBI single with runners at the corners.

After Weston worked a clean bottom of the seventh, the Matadors called upon their bullpen to hold the Aggies at bay. Toerner made the move from center field to the mound and retired the first batter before walking Ryan Anderson. Conner O'Neil entered the fray and struck out the first batter he faced for the second out of the inning. From there, UC Davis would turn the tables with a series of two-out hits.

Diaz hit an infield single to put two runners on base and Alex Aguiar followed with an RBI single to tie the game. Guillermo Salazar would rifle another RBI single but a fielding error in left field allowed a second run to come across to give UC Davis a 7-5 lead.

The Matadors looked to rally again in the ninth but a comeback would not be in the cards. Relief pitcher Chris Brown retired Sablock, William Colantono and Smith in order to secure a win for the Aggies.

With his two-run home run, Riley has a team-leading six home runs to go along with 22 RBI this season. Riley also posted his team-best 11th multiple-hit game of 2017.

Toerner extended his streak of reaching base safely to nine games while Nolan Bumstead stretched his streak to seven.

CSUN returns home for a non-conference meeting with Pepperdine at Matador Field. Prior to the scheduled game between the Matadors and Waves, the teams will resume a suspended game from earlier this season at 2 p.m. The suspended game, which took place on Feb. 21 at Pepperdine, was stopped due to darkness in the top of the eighth with CSUN leading 12-7.

Matadors Drop Series Finale to UC Davis, 7-5

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Team Stats

Kevin Riley

Nick Sablock

Nolan Bumstead

Dylan Alexander

Players Mentioned

Nolan Bumstead

William Colantono

Conner O'Neil

Kevin Riley

Alvaro Rubalcaba

Nick Sablock

Fred Smith

Justin Toerner

Andrew Weston