California State University Northridge Athletics
California State University at Northridge
3-2
Utah Tech
1-5
CSUN Bats Explode in Series-Opening Win
2/23/2024 8:46:00 PM | Baseball
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Matadors were held to one hit through the first two innings before coming alive in the third inning. Conner Stewart opened the inning with a double before Mason Le reached on an error. Moments later, Simons hammered a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for a three-run homer to put CSUN on top.
The 3-0 lead held up through the first five innings as CSUN picked up a strong outing from Friday starter Thomas Bainton. The right hander faced a bases loaded, one-out jam in the home half of the first before inducing a 4-6-3 double play. Bainton pitched around a two-out single in the second then wiggled out of trouble in the third, stranding a pair of base runners. His strikeout to end the third though began a stretch where he retired seven-straight batters before exiting the game in the sixth.
CSUN added to the lead in the sixth with a two-run frame. Barraza cashed in on an RBI single with runners on the corners while the Matadors added another run when Barraza stole second base and a throwing error allowed Ben Griffin to score from third base. In the seventh, the Matadors broke the game wide open on another big home run. A Mason Le infield single and a Shunsuke Sakaino walk set the table for Fitzer who belted a three-run homer for an 8-0 lead.
Utah Tech broke up the shutout with a single tally in the seventh, but CSUN responded with a two-run eighth on sacrifice flies from Kamau Neighbors and Le. Quiet for most of the day, the Trailblazers strung together four hits in a four-run eighth inning to pull to within 10-5.
However, CSUN answered back quickly in the top of the ninth. Barraza collected another RBI single in the frame before Neighbors came through with a two-run single. Stewart capped the four-run frame with a sacrifice fly.
Destin Allen-Fox made his Matador debut in relief and recorded the final five outs of the game, highlighted by three strikeouts.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 3-2 on the season while Utah Tech falls to 1-5.
- Bainton earned his first victory of the season with five shutout innings and three hits allowed to go with six strikeouts.
- Nathan Barraza's four-hit performance is the first of his career.
- Kamau Neighbors also posted a new career high in RBI with three.
- In relief, Gerald Hanson retired a batter while Blake Ignaciak picked up a pair of outs in the sixth.
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"Thomas is still in a rebounding phase with the amount of time he was shut down so today's start was meant to extend him. He got out of some jams and got sharper down the stretch. Overall, a productive outing.
"Offensively, we haven't been firing on all cylinders, but tonight we had healthy contributions from all hitters. We'll need to stay the course."
UP NEXT
CSUN continues its weekend series against Utah Tech on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. PT.
#GoMatadors
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bainton, Thomas (1-0)
L: Dylan Gardner (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Sojka, Andrew 1 ; Stewart, Conner 1
HR: Simons, Jakob 1 ; Fitzer, Kevin 1
RBI: Simons, Jakob 3 ; Fitzer, Kevin 3 ; Barraza, Nathan 2 ; Neighbors, Kamau 3 ; Stewart, Conner 1 ; Le, Mason 1
SH: Le, Mason 1
SF: Neighbors, Kamau 1 ; Stewart, Conner 1 ; Le, Mason 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Simons, Jakob 1 ; Sakaino, Shunsuke 3 ; Fitzer, Kevin 2 ; Griffin, Ben 1 ; Barraza, Nathan 2 ; Sojka, Andrew 2 ; Stewart, Conner 1 ; Le, Mason 2
SB: Barraza, Nathan 1 ; Le, Mason 1
CS: Neighbors, Kamau 1 ; Le, Mason 1
HBP: Sojka, Andrew 1 ; Stewart, Conner 1
Batting:
2B: Hank Dodson 1 ; Aaron Perez 1 ; Ethan Royal 1
HR: Garrett Cutting 1
RBI: Hank Dodson 1 ; Blake Borgogno 2 ; Garrett Cutting 2
SH: Chase Rodriguez 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cayden Clark 1 ; Ethan Royal 1 ; Blake Borgogno 1 ; Petey Soto Jr. 1 ; Garrett Cutting 1
CS: Kyle McDaniel 1
HBP: Hank Dodson 1 ; Brennen Study 1
