Friday, April 1
Irvine, Calif.
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
at
UC Irvine
Photo by: Mikaella Salazar
Matadors Visit UC Irvine in Weekend Series
3/31/2022 11:50:00 AM | Baseball
FULL GAME NOTES
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball (13-10, 2-4 Big West) returns to the road for a weekend series against UC Irvine starting Friday at 6 p.m. The series continues with a Saturday game at 6 p.m. before wrapping up on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Probable Pitching Matchups
CSUN at UC Irvine
RHP Blaine Traxel (3-1, 3.66 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Frias (3-1, 5.10 ERA)
RHP Blake Sodersten (3-2, 4.58 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pinto (0-3, 3.55 ERA)
RHP Ryan Wentz (2-2, 3.62 ERA) vs. TBA
UC Irvine leads CSUN 50-35 in the all-time series with wins in eight of the last 10 meetings. The teams though split a four-game series at Matador Field last season, which featured two CSUN walk-off home runs in extra innings and two UCI run-rule victories. CSUN's second walk-off win in the series last season was a three-run home run from Kai Moody in a 9-6 triumph in 10 innings. The Matadors last visited the Anteaters in the 2019 season where UCI would go on to sweep the series.
This past weekend, the Matadors posted their first series win over Long Beach State since 2010 after taking two of three games at Matador Field. The Dirtbags won the opener 11-8, powered by a five-run first inning and four-run fifth inning. The Matadors though bounced back with a 4-3 win in game two behind the pitching combination of Ryan Wentz and Blaine Traxel, who combined to surrender just six hits. Lucas Braun would help CSUN win the rubber match 7-3 with six-plus innings of quality work on the mound.
Bart West led the Matadors with five RBI in the Long Beach State series, highlighted by a grand slam in the opener. Andrew Sojka, Gabe Gonzalez and CJ Yogi also hit home runs in the series. On the pitching side, Wentz worked six innings in game two, allowing a run on four hits to earn his second win of the season. Braun allowed an unearned on five hits in his six innings against the Dirtbags.
Traxel, who made his first appearance since March 13 this past Saturday, will make his first Friday start in 28 days against UCI. Traxel has a 3-1 record to go with a 3.66 ERA in 32.1 innings. Sodersten follows Traxel in the rotation as he sports a team-high 30 strikeouts to go with a 3-2 record and 4.58 ERA. Wentz, the Matadors' scheduled Sunday starter, holds a 3.62 ERA with a 2-2 record and 19 strikeouts.
On the Big West leaderboards, Gonzalez leads the Big West in home runs with seven and ranks second in slugging percentage (.629) and RBI (21). Kai Moody tops the league in runs (21) while ranking fourth in home runs (4). West checks in at third in the Big West in batting average (.365) and slugging percentage (.619) and fourth in home runs (4). After earning a save last Sunday, Blake Schriever is second in the conference in the category with five saves while Sodersten and Traxel are tied for fourth place with three wins apiece. As a team, the Matadors are second in the Big West in runs scored (143) and home runs (25).
CSUN enters the weekend 15th in the nation in double plays turned (22) while individually Schriever is 20th in Division I baseball in saves.
A Closer Look at UC Irvine
The Anteaters (15-8, 5-1 Big West) won their second-straight conference series this past weekend after taking two of three games at Hawai'i. UCI also swept UC Davis in week one of league play. Overall, the team has gone 10-2 at home this season with three series wins. The defending Big West champion Anteaters were projected to finish second in the league by the conference head coaches. Ben Orloff is in his fourth season as head coach of the Anteater program.
Nathan Church leads the squad with a .330 average, 21 runs, 18 RBI and three home runs. Jacob Castro has a .295 average at the plate with 12 RBI while Ben Fitzgerald has three home runs and nine RBI to go with a .258 batting average. Michael Frias will start Friday against CSUN as he comes in with a 3-1 record, 5.10 ERA and a team-high 39 strikeouts. Nick Pinto is a close second in strikeouts with 37 to go with a 3.55 ERA. As a team, UCI is third in the Big West in ERA (3.57) and strikeouts (215).
#UniteTheValley
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NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball (13-10, 2-4 Big West) returns to the road for a weekend series against UC Irvine starting Friday at 6 p.m. The series continues with a Saturday game at 6 p.m. before wrapping up on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Probable Pitching Matchups
CSUN at UC Irvine
RHP Blaine Traxel (3-1, 3.66 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Frias (3-1, 5.10 ERA)
RHP Blake Sodersten (3-2, 4.58 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pinto (0-3, 3.55 ERA)
RHP Ryan Wentz (2-2, 3.62 ERA) vs. TBA
UC Irvine leads CSUN 50-35 in the all-time series with wins in eight of the last 10 meetings. The teams though split a four-game series at Matador Field last season, which featured two CSUN walk-off home runs in extra innings and two UCI run-rule victories. CSUN's second walk-off win in the series last season was a three-run home run from Kai Moody in a 9-6 triumph in 10 innings. The Matadors last visited the Anteaters in the 2019 season where UCI would go on to sweep the series.
This past weekend, the Matadors posted their first series win over Long Beach State since 2010 after taking two of three games at Matador Field. The Dirtbags won the opener 11-8, powered by a five-run first inning and four-run fifth inning. The Matadors though bounced back with a 4-3 win in game two behind the pitching combination of Ryan Wentz and Blaine Traxel, who combined to surrender just six hits. Lucas Braun would help CSUN win the rubber match 7-3 with six-plus innings of quality work on the mound.
Bart West led the Matadors with five RBI in the Long Beach State series, highlighted by a grand slam in the opener. Andrew Sojka, Gabe Gonzalez and CJ Yogi also hit home runs in the series. On the pitching side, Wentz worked six innings in game two, allowing a run on four hits to earn his second win of the season. Braun allowed an unearned on five hits in his six innings against the Dirtbags.
Traxel, who made his first appearance since March 13 this past Saturday, will make his first Friday start in 28 days against UCI. Traxel has a 3-1 record to go with a 3.66 ERA in 32.1 innings. Sodersten follows Traxel in the rotation as he sports a team-high 30 strikeouts to go with a 3-2 record and 4.58 ERA. Wentz, the Matadors' scheduled Sunday starter, holds a 3.62 ERA with a 2-2 record and 19 strikeouts.
On the Big West leaderboards, Gonzalez leads the Big West in home runs with seven and ranks second in slugging percentage (.629) and RBI (21). Kai Moody tops the league in runs (21) while ranking fourth in home runs (4). West checks in at third in the Big West in batting average (.365) and slugging percentage (.619) and fourth in home runs (4). After earning a save last Sunday, Blake Schriever is second in the conference in the category with five saves while Sodersten and Traxel are tied for fourth place with three wins apiece. As a team, the Matadors are second in the Big West in runs scored (143) and home runs (25).
CSUN enters the weekend 15th in the nation in double plays turned (22) while individually Schriever is 20th in Division I baseball in saves.
A Closer Look at UC Irvine
The Anteaters (15-8, 5-1 Big West) won their second-straight conference series this past weekend after taking two of three games at Hawai'i. UCI also swept UC Davis in week one of league play. Overall, the team has gone 10-2 at home this season with three series wins. The defending Big West champion Anteaters were projected to finish second in the league by the conference head coaches. Ben Orloff is in his fourth season as head coach of the Anteater program.
Nathan Church leads the squad with a .330 average, 21 runs, 18 RBI and three home runs. Jacob Castro has a .295 average at the plate with 12 RBI while Ben Fitzgerald has three home runs and nine RBI to go with a .258 batting average. Michael Frias will start Friday against CSUN as he comes in with a 3-1 record, 5.10 ERA and a team-high 39 strikeouts. Nick Pinto is a close second in strikeouts with 37 to go with a 3.55 ERA. As a team, UCI is third in the Big West in ERA (3.57) and strikeouts (215).
#UniteTheValley
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