California State University Northridge Athletics
Matadors Impress on the Field During Summer Season
8/30/2023 1:55:00 PM | Baseball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Another summer collegiate baseball season has drawn to a close as several CSUN Baseball standouts posted impressive numbers in leagues across the nation. Matador members won league championships, competed in All-Star Games and collected individual postseason accolades during the hot summer months on the diamond.
Among the several CSUN standouts, Kevin Fitzer had perhaps one of the top summer stints with the Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League. Making the trek to Willmar, Minn. over the summer, Fitzer led the Northwoods League in home runs (15) and finished third in RBI (62). Fitzer would bat a robust .332 at the plate to go with an exceptional 73 runs scored and 34 stolen bases. Over his time with Willmar, Fitzer was selected to the Northwoods Postseason All-Star Team as a first baseman while he participated in the Home Run Derby Challenge. His play helped Willmar win 51 games along with the Great Plains West first half and second half titles.
Outfielder Andrew Sojka joined Fitzer for a second-half stint with Willmar over the summer. Sojka batted .350 in 30 regular season games while he posted a .471 on-base percentage and .634 slugging percentage. He also racked up 46 runs scored, 34 RBI, 30 stolen bases and seven home runs. Former Matador Graysen Tarlow would play with Willmar earlier in the summer, hitting .359 in 18 games before he was selected in the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Also in the the Northwoods League, reigning Big West Field Player of the Year Jakob Simons played for the Bismarck Larks in North Dakota where he would hit a strong .415. Simons also collected two homers, 14 RBI and 21 runs scored in just 16 games.
Another top hitter this summer would be Kamau Neighbors who played for the MLB Academy Barons in the California Collegiate League. Neighbors led the team in batting at a .357 clip. In 32 games, Neighbors racked up 41 hits, 23 walks, 22 runs scored and 10 stolen bases while striking out just nine times in 115 at bats. Neighbors collected All-CCL honors as a shortstop and participated in the CCL 30 Showcase Game where he recorded two base hits.
Elsewhere in the California Collegiate League, Aidan Colin made 11 appearances for the Sonoma Stompers. Colin posted an impressive 2.16 ERA in 16.2 innings of work to go with 20 strikeouts.
The tandem of Mason Le and Neil Feist played for the Corvallis Knights (Ore.) where they would be a part of a league championship in the West Coast League. Le batted .255 with 19 runs scored, 13 walks, 10 RBI and six stolen bases in 32 games while he hit .375 (6-for-16) in his team's postseason run. Feist also impressed on the mound, registering a 3.42 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 47.1 innings of work and a 5-1 record. In the playoffs, Feist tossed four shutout innings, helping Corvallis clinch a championship appearance.
In the Alaska Baseball League, Nathan Barraza helped the Anchorage Glacier Pilots to a league title as well. Barraza played in 37 total games, hitting .301 with 24 runs, 23 RBI, eight doubles and two home runs. He also made four appearances on the mound as a pitcher, posting a 3.21 ERA with seven strikeouts and one save in 14 innings of work.
Ben Griffin and Bren Wilkinson also made the trip to Alaska over the summer to compete for the Peninsula Oilers. Griffin saw action in 32 games, posting 23 hits, 17 runs scored, 12 RBI and 11 stolen bases while Wilkinson played earlier in the summer and hit .250 with 13 hits, nine scored and eight RBI.
In a short stint with the Portland Pickles of the West Coast League, Shunsuke Sakaino batted .357 while Ryan Wentz struck out six batters in 5.2 innings with the Inland Valley Pirates of the California Premier Collegiate League. Also, in the CPCL Brandon Leon won a league title with the Palm Springs Power.
Making the move up north, incoming catcher Conner Stewart won the Western Canadian Baseball League title with the Okotoks Dawgs. Stewart would bat .309 with 29 hits, 18 runs scored, 14 RBI and three homers.
List of Matadors that competed in Summer Baseball
Nathan Barraza - Anchorage Glacier Pilots (Alaska Baseball League)
Hayden Cody - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (Northwoods League)
Aidan Colin - Sonoma Stompers (California Collegiate League)
Neil Feist - Corvallis Knights (West Coast League)
Kevin Fitzer - Willmar Stingers (Northwoods League)
Ben Griffin - Peninsula Oilers (Alaska Baseball League)
Gabe Hernandez - Ohio Warhawks
Hunter Holmes - Ventura County Pirates
Mason Le - Corvallis Knights (West Coast League)
Brandon Leon - Palm Springs Power (California Premier Collegiate League)
Jon Mocherman - Inland Valley Pirates (California Premier Collegiate League)
Kamau Neighbors - MLB Academy Barons (California Collegiate League)
Kenji Pallares - Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Andrew Parker - Colton Nighthawks (Western Baseball Association)
Shunsuke Sakaino - Portland Pickles (West Coast League)
Jakob Simons - Bismarck Larks (Northwoods League)
Andrew Sojka - Willmar Stingers (Northwoods League)
Conner Stewart - Okotoks Dawks (Western Canadian Baseball League)
Braden Waushek - Colton Nighthawks (Western Baseball Association)
Ryan Wentz - Inland Valley Pirates (California Premier Collegiate League)
Bren Wilkinson - Peninsula Oilers (Alaska Baseball League)
#GoMatadors
Among the several CSUN standouts, Kevin Fitzer had perhaps one of the top summer stints with the Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League. Making the trek to Willmar, Minn. over the summer, Fitzer led the Northwoods League in home runs (15) and finished third in RBI (62). Fitzer would bat a robust .332 at the plate to go with an exceptional 73 runs scored and 34 stolen bases. Over his time with Willmar, Fitzer was selected to the Northwoods Postseason All-Star Team as a first baseman while he participated in the Home Run Derby Challenge. His play helped Willmar win 51 games along with the Great Plains West first half and second half titles.
Outfielder Andrew Sojka joined Fitzer for a second-half stint with Willmar over the summer. Sojka batted .350 in 30 regular season games while he posted a .471 on-base percentage and .634 slugging percentage. He also racked up 46 runs scored, 34 RBI, 30 stolen bases and seven home runs. Former Matador Graysen Tarlow would play with Willmar earlier in the summer, hitting .359 in 18 games before he was selected in the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Also in the the Northwoods League, reigning Big West Field Player of the Year Jakob Simons played for the Bismarck Larks in North Dakota where he would hit a strong .415. Simons also collected two homers, 14 RBI and 21 runs scored in just 16 games.
Another top hitter this summer would be Kamau Neighbors who played for the MLB Academy Barons in the California Collegiate League. Neighbors led the team in batting at a .357 clip. In 32 games, Neighbors racked up 41 hits, 23 walks, 22 runs scored and 10 stolen bases while striking out just nine times in 115 at bats. Neighbors collected All-CCL honors as a shortstop and participated in the CCL 30 Showcase Game where he recorded two base hits.
Elsewhere in the California Collegiate League, Aidan Colin made 11 appearances for the Sonoma Stompers. Colin posted an impressive 2.16 ERA in 16.2 innings of work to go with 20 strikeouts.
The tandem of Mason Le and Neil Feist played for the Corvallis Knights (Ore.) where they would be a part of a league championship in the West Coast League. Le batted .255 with 19 runs scored, 13 walks, 10 RBI and six stolen bases in 32 games while he hit .375 (6-for-16) in his team's postseason run. Feist also impressed on the mound, registering a 3.42 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 47.1 innings of work and a 5-1 record. In the playoffs, Feist tossed four shutout innings, helping Corvallis clinch a championship appearance.
In the Alaska Baseball League, Nathan Barraza helped the Anchorage Glacier Pilots to a league title as well. Barraza played in 37 total games, hitting .301 with 24 runs, 23 RBI, eight doubles and two home runs. He also made four appearances on the mound as a pitcher, posting a 3.21 ERA with seven strikeouts and one save in 14 innings of work.
Ben Griffin and Bren Wilkinson also made the trip to Alaska over the summer to compete for the Peninsula Oilers. Griffin saw action in 32 games, posting 23 hits, 17 runs scored, 12 RBI and 11 stolen bases while Wilkinson played earlier in the summer and hit .250 with 13 hits, nine scored and eight RBI.
In a short stint with the Portland Pickles of the West Coast League, Shunsuke Sakaino batted .357 while Ryan Wentz struck out six batters in 5.2 innings with the Inland Valley Pirates of the California Premier Collegiate League. Also, in the CPCL Brandon Leon won a league title with the Palm Springs Power.
Making the move up north, incoming catcher Conner Stewart won the Western Canadian Baseball League title with the Okotoks Dawgs. Stewart would bat .309 with 29 hits, 18 runs scored, 14 RBI and three homers.
List of Matadors that competed in Summer Baseball
Nathan Barraza - Anchorage Glacier Pilots (Alaska Baseball League)
Hayden Cody - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (Northwoods League)
Aidan Colin - Sonoma Stompers (California Collegiate League)
Neil Feist - Corvallis Knights (West Coast League)
Kevin Fitzer - Willmar Stingers (Northwoods League)
Ben Griffin - Peninsula Oilers (Alaska Baseball League)
Gabe Hernandez - Ohio Warhawks
Hunter Holmes - Ventura County Pirates
Mason Le - Corvallis Knights (West Coast League)
Brandon Leon - Palm Springs Power (California Premier Collegiate League)
Jon Mocherman - Inland Valley Pirates (California Premier Collegiate League)
Kamau Neighbors - MLB Academy Barons (California Collegiate League)
Kenji Pallares - Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Andrew Parker - Colton Nighthawks (Western Baseball Association)
Shunsuke Sakaino - Portland Pickles (West Coast League)
Jakob Simons - Bismarck Larks (Northwoods League)
Andrew Sojka - Willmar Stingers (Northwoods League)
Conner Stewart - Okotoks Dawks (Western Canadian Baseball League)
Braden Waushek - Colton Nighthawks (Western Baseball Association)
Ryan Wentz - Inland Valley Pirates (California Premier Collegiate League)
Bren Wilkinson - Peninsula Oilers (Alaska Baseball League)
#GoMatadors
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