Saturday, February 24
St. George, Utah
1:05 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
4-2
7
at
1
Utah Tech
1-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
CSUN
0
2
2
0
0
1
2
0
0
7
11
1
Utah Tech
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
4
2
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Clinches Weekend Series at Utah Tech
2/24/2024 7:02:00 PM | Baseball
ST. GEORGE, Utah---Freshman Ryan Halamicek earned his first career win on the mound while CSUN pounded out 11 hits in a 7-1 win over Utah Tech on Saturday afternoon at Bruce Hurst Field. Shunsuke Sakaino finished 4-for-5 with a run scored while Nathan Barraza had three hits and three runs scored. Bren Wilkinson drove in three runs without the benefit of a hit. With the win, CSUN clinched the weekend series from Utah Tech.
HOW IT HAPPENED
In similar fashion to the series opener, CSUN struck first early in game two of the weekend series. Barraza led off the second inning with a single before he advanced to second base on a wild pitch. After a walk to Kamau Neighbors, Andrew Sojka delivered an RBI single. Neighbors would eventually score via an error and sacrifice fly from Bren Wilkinson for a 2-0 lead. The Matadors followed with a two-run third inning as Barraza hit an RBI double and Neighbors hit an RBI single with two outs.
On the mound, Halamicek kept the Trailblazers off the scoreboard through the first four innings while he stranded two base runners over that span. In support of Halamicek, CSUN's defense turned a double play in the second inning to erase an earlier error. Halamicek retired eight of nine batters during one stretch as CSUN took a 4-0 lead to the fifth.
Utah Tech would get on the scoreboard via a solo homer from Petey Soto, Jr. in the bottom of the fifth, but Halamicek rebounded to retire the next three batters. The Matadors were able to get the run back in the top of the sixth when Sojka tripled and later scored on a Wilkinson sacrifice bunt.
The Trailblazers threatened in the home half of the sixth after two of the first three batters reached to prompt a change on the mound. Blake Ignaciak entered the fray and walked the first batter to load the bases but retired Soto on a foul out to escape the jam.
CSUN scratched across two runs on just one hit in the seventh to take a 7-1 lead. Barraza picked up the lone hit, a leadoff single, before two hit batters soon loaded the bases with one out. Wilkinson drew a walk to force in a run then Jakob Simons reached on an error at shortstop to push another run across.
Over the final three frames, Justin Vose pitched two scoreless innings while Hayden Cody tossed a shutout ninth to close the door.
NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"Ryan Halamicek pitched well and challenged hitters. He pushed himself this week to get extended and it was good to see him do that. Blake Ignaciak had been reliable in a stopper role, which he did once again [in the sixth].
We got on base and finished innings with two-out quality at bats. We are finding different ways to score runs and good offenses can do that. Hopefully, we can continue to get better and develop into more of a complete offense."
UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up its stay at Utah Tech with the series finale on Sunday at 11:05 a.m. PT.
#GoMatadors
HOW IT HAPPENED
In similar fashion to the series opener, CSUN struck first early in game two of the weekend series. Barraza led off the second inning with a single before he advanced to second base on a wild pitch. After a walk to Kamau Neighbors, Andrew Sojka delivered an RBI single. Neighbors would eventually score via an error and sacrifice fly from Bren Wilkinson for a 2-0 lead. The Matadors followed with a two-run third inning as Barraza hit an RBI double and Neighbors hit an RBI single with two outs.
CSUN strikes for a 2-run top of the 2nd!
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) February 24, 2024
Andrew Sojka gets us started with an RBI single.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/3rDLFvEI7w
On the mound, Halamicek kept the Trailblazers off the scoreboard through the first four innings while he stranded two base runners over that span. In support of Halamicek, CSUN's defense turned a double play in the second inning to erase an earlier error. Halamicek retired eight of nine batters during one stretch as CSUN took a 4-0 lead to the fifth.
Ryan Halamaciek sends them down in order in the 2nd. He has 2 K's thus far.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/8oAMyQrEyX
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) February 24, 2024
Utah Tech would get on the scoreboard via a solo homer from Petey Soto, Jr. in the bottom of the fifth, but Halamicek rebounded to retire the next three batters. The Matadors were able to get the run back in the top of the sixth when Sojka tripled and later scored on a Wilkinson sacrifice bunt.
The Trailblazers threatened in the home half of the sixth after two of the first three batters reached to prompt a change on the mound. Blake Ignaciak entered the fray and walked the first batter to load the bases but retired Soto on a foul out to escape the jam.
CSUN scratched across two runs on just one hit in the seventh to take a 7-1 lead. Barraza picked up the lone hit, a leadoff single, before two hit batters soon loaded the bases with one out. Wilkinson drew a walk to force in a run then Jakob Simons reached on an error at shortstop to push another run across.
Over the final three frames, Justin Vose pitched two scoreless innings while Hayden Cody tossed a shutout ninth to close the door.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 4-2 on the season while Utah Tech slips to 1-6.
- The Matadors are now 3-0 on the road in 2024.
- Andrew Sojka finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run.
- Left-handed pitcher Justin Vose made his Matador debut in relief and racked up three strikeouts over his two shutout innings.
- The Matadors have produced 24 hits through the first two games of the series.
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"Ryan Halamicek pitched well and challenged hitters. He pushed himself this week to get extended and it was good to see him do that. Blake Ignaciak had been reliable in a stopper role, which he did once again [in the sixth].
We got on base and finished innings with two-out quality at bats. We are finding different ways to score runs and good offenses can do that. Hopefully, we can continue to get better and develop into more of a complete offense."
UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up its stay at Utah Tech with the series finale on Sunday at 11:05 a.m. PT.
#GoMatadors
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Halamicek, Ryan (1-1)
L: Carston Herman (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Sakaino, Shunsuke 1 ; Barraza, Nathan 1
3B: Sojka, Andrew 1
RBI: Simons, Jakob 1 ; Barraza, Nathan 1 ; Neighbors, Kamau 1 ; Sojka, Andrew 1 ; Wilkinson, Bren 3
SH: Neighbors, Kamau 1 ; Wilkinson, Bren 1
SF: Wilkinson, Bren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sakaino, Shunsuke 1 ; Barraza, Nathan 3 ; Neighbors, Kamau 1 ; Le, Mason 1 ; Sojka, Andrew 1
SB: Sakaino, Shunsuke 1 ; Griffin, Ben 1
HBP: Griffin, Ben 1 ; Le, Mason 1 ; Sojka, Andrew 1
Batting:
2B: Jack Walker 1
HR: Petey Soto Jr. 1
RBI: Petey Soto Jr. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Petey Soto Jr. 1
SB: Ethan Royal 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
4
RBI
0
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
UTIL
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballA Conversation With Dave Serrano
Friday, May 15
Baseball HC reveal 2019
Sunday, June 23
National Student-Athlete Day 2019 - Jayson Newman
Friday, April 05
CSUN Baseball - 27 Miles
Friday, November 09