Matadors Split Doubleheader with BYU

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball trailed both of its games against BYU by as many as five runs on Saturday afternoon, but the Matadors showed fight in both games as they defeated the Cougars 10-9 in game one and battled to the final out in a game two loss 6-5. Albee Weiss finished with five hits between the two games including five RBI and two home runs. Nolan Bumstead had perhaps the biggest swing of the day for the Matadors, stroking a go-ahead three-run home run in the eighth of game one. Hayden Shenefield, who earned the victory in game one, was among eight different Matador pitchers who made their debuts on the mound in the doubleheader.

As a team, the Matadors finished with 22 hits on the day, eight of which were extra base hits. CSUN hit four home runs in the opener, and the team scored eight combined runs after the seventh inning in the doubleheader.

"What I'm most proud of are the takes," said head coach Greg Moore. "We're swinging the bat okay and we're getting some balls in the air. Some of the pitches that we're taking, I'm excited about. It shows me that the hitters are really seeing spin, the breaking ball down, and they're also seeing the ball just off the plate. That's encouraging. When you do that, you could wear some pitching staffs down and teams down."

Game one recap:

In a wild game one, the Matadors struck first early in the opener of the doubleheader. Trevor Casanova roped a one-out RBI double to put CSUN on top 1-0 in the top of the first. Weiss would follow with a two-run blast over the left field wall to increase the lead to three.

The Cougars answered right back in the second inning with three runs of their own off Matador starter Theron Kay. Brennon Anderson forced in a run with a bases loaded walk, and Daniel Schneemann roped a two-run single to even the game up at 3-3.

The teams exchanged leadoff solo home runs in the third. Brock Hale put BYU briefly on top 4-3 but Alvaro Rubalcaba had an answer with a solo shot to kick off the bottom of the third. After the Matadors made the call to the bullpen, the Cougars struck for a five-run fourth to build a 9-4 lead. Kyle Dean had the biggest hit of the frame with a one-out, three-run double down left field line.

CSUN returned the favor by getting to the BYU bullpen in the fifth. Rubalcaba doubled to start the frame, and Casanova would later reach on a hit by pitch. Weiss stepped to the plate and deposited the first pitch he saw over the left field wall for a three-run home run, his second of the game.

The scored remained 9-7 until the eighth where CSUN leaned again on its power. After Kevin Riley singled and Justin Toerner worked a walk to start off the frame, Bumstead stroked an 0-2 pitch out of the ballpark to put the Matadors ahead 10-9.

Following a shaky fourth inning, Walker Armstrong shut out the Cougars over his last three innings of work, scattering three hits. Shenefield came out of the bullpen in the eighth and retired six of the seven batters he faced to nail down the come-from-behind victory.

Game Two Recap

Also making his Matador debut, freshman Wesley Moore pitched five innings, striking out nine batters while allowing three earned runs. Moore's first six outs in the game were all strikeouts as he fanned the side in order in the second inning.

"He's agressive, he's tenacious," added Moore about his freshman pitcher. "The best thing that he does late in innings is that he continues to attack. He doesn't mind runners, he doesn't mind throwing in. He's just so competitive, especially for his age."

The Cougars were able to scratch across a pair of runs in the third inning with two outs. With two runners on and two outs, Keaton Kringlen reached on an RBI infield single. A second run would come across on a throwing error from the shortstop position. Moore would settle in and retire the final eight batters he faced before being lifted in the sixth.

BYU pushed across two more runs in the top of the sixth on a one-out, two-run single from Mitch McIntyre. Meanwhile, the Matadors struggled to bring in runs on BYU starter Hayden Rogers as they left five batters on base through the first six innings. Finally in the seventh, Alex Hull got CSUN on the scoreboard with an RBI groundout.

After the Cougars built a 6-1 lead with single tallies in the seventh and eighth innings, the Matadors mounted a rally in the bottom of the eighth. Loading the bases with one out, Riley singled in a run with a drive to deep center field. A second run came across on an error from the infield on the relay. Toerner brought the Matadors closer with an RBI single, plating Weiss. Bumstead delivered more heroics with another single to bring home Riley, cutting the deficit to 6-5. Ryder Kuhns came off the bench and battled to a 2-2 count before striking out to end the frame.

CSUN was able to put the tying run on second base with one out in the top of the ninth but closer Riley Gates struck out Ben Martz and Weiss to end the game.

The Matadors and Cougars will take Sunday off before concluding their four game series on Monday at 1 p.m. The game will air live on the CSUN Sports Network presented by Dignity Health with Ross Porter on the call.

Matadors Split Doubleheader with BYU

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Team Stats

Alvaro Rubalcaba

Albee Weiss

Joey Cooper

Trevor Casanova

Players Mentioned

Walker Armstrong

Nolan Bumstead

Trevor Casanova

Alex Hull

Theron Kay

Ryder Kuhns

Ben Martz

Wesley Moore

Kevin Riley

Alvaro Rubalcaba

Hayden Shenefield

Justin Toerner

Albee Weiss