California State University Northridge Athletics
Photo by: Braden Villanueva
4/26/2021 12:20:00 PM | Baseball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---After tossing his first career complete game in an 11-1 win, CSUN Baseball's junior right-hander Blake Sodersten nabbed his first Big West Pitcher of the Week award, the league office announced on Monday.
In the Matadors' series opener with Cal State Fullerton, Sodersten silenced the opposition over eight outstanding innings where he allowed one run on three hits. He fanned seven batters, one shy of his career high while he yielded just two walks.
Throughout most of Sodersten's start, the right-hander was in control. Sodersten hit a batter with two outs in the first inning but would go on to retire 16 of the next 17 batters. Over that span, Sodersten only surrendered a bunt single with one out in the fourth. Sodersten did not allow a base runner to reach second base through the first six innings.
In the seventh, Sodersten walked and hit a batter to start the inning before sitting down the next three batters in a row. He took a one-hitter into the eighth inning when the Titans broke up the shutout bid with an RBI double with two outs. Sodersten would receive an assist from his defense as left-fielder Robert Bullard threw out a runner at the plate following a single from Caden Connor to end the inning.
The Matadors scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to activate the run-rule win, giving Sodersten the complete game.
On the season, Sodersten is 1-1 with a 3.89 ERA to go with 34 strikeouts. In 39.1 innings of work, Sodersten has limited batters to a .215 average at the plate. He has also pitched six or more innings in each of his last four starts.
Sodersten is the first Matador pitcher to earn the conference's weekly honor since Isaiah Nunez picked up the award on May 27, 2019, which also came after a start against Cal State Fullerton.
The Matadors return to action this weekend with a road series at CSU Bakersfield starting Friday at 3 p.m. The four-game series will stream on ESPN3.
#UniteTheValley
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In the Matadors' series opener with Cal State Fullerton, Sodersten silenced the opposition over eight outstanding innings where he allowed one run on three hits. He fanned seven batters, one shy of his career high while he yielded just two walks.
Throughout most of Sodersten's start, the right-hander was in control. Sodersten hit a batter with two outs in the first inning but would go on to retire 16 of the next 17 batters. Over that span, Sodersten only surrendered a bunt single with one out in the fourth. Sodersten did not allow a base runner to reach second base through the first six innings.
In the seventh, Sodersten walked and hit a batter to start the inning before sitting down the next three batters in a row. He took a one-hitter into the eighth inning when the Titans broke up the shutout bid with an RBI double with two outs. Sodersten would receive an assist from his defense as left-fielder Robert Bullard threw out a runner at the plate following a single from Caden Connor to end the inning.
The Matadors scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to activate the run-rule win, giving Sodersten the complete game.
On the season, Sodersten is 1-1 with a 3.89 ERA to go with 34 strikeouts. In 39.1 innings of work, Sodersten has limited batters to a .215 average at the plate. He has also pitched six or more innings in each of his last four starts.
Sodersten is the first Matador pitcher to earn the conference's weekly honor since Isaiah Nunez picked up the award on May 27, 2019, which also came after a start against Cal State Fullerton.
The Matadors return to action this weekend with a road series at CSU Bakersfield starting Friday at 3 p.m. The four-game series will stream on ESPN3.
#UniteTheValley
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Players Mentioned
Wednesday, September 16
Thursday, September 03
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, February 13