Sunday, February 25
St. George, Utah
11:05 a.m.
California State University at Northridge
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Utah Tech
1-7
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5
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9
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CSUN
0
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1
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Utah Tech
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Photo by: Connor Clark
CSUN Ralles Late to Earn Sweep at Utah Tech
2/25/2024 2:46:00 PM | Baseball
ST. GEORGE, Utah---CSUN Baseball scored three times all with two outs in the top of the ninth to rally for a 6-5 win over Utah Tech, earning a series sweep, on Sunday at Bruce Hurst Field. Kamau Neighbors drove in two runs while Conner Stewart hit a game-tying two-run homer. Joshua Romero worked 2.2 innings, allowing one hit to pick up the win in relief.
HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN would be down to its final out and trailing 5-3 when it put together a late rally. Neighbors kept the inning alive with a single through the middle. Three pitches later, Stewart unloaded on a two-run homer to left field that evened the game at 5-5.
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Ben Griffin continued the hit parade with a single before Mason Le rifled a double the other way into right to plate pinch runner Smith Chandler all the way from first base. The Matadors took their first lead of the afternoon on the Le base hit.
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Romero, who entered out of the bullpen in the seventh, made short work of Utah Tech in the bottom of the ninth as he needed only six pitches to shut the door.
Earlier in the day, Utah Tech pushed across the game's first run in the home half of the first inning on a sacrifice fly from Hank Dodson. The Matadors would even the game in the top of the third when Jakob Simons blasted a solo homer to center field.
The Trailblazers though stormed back in front in the bottom of the third. Freshman starter Branden Wauschek retired two of the first three batters to begin the inning, but a walk and an RBi single from Dodson put the home team in front. Aaron Perez added to the lead with a two-run single for a 4-1 Utah Tech lead.
Lucas Casey would come out of the bullpen to limit the damage in the third, leaving the bases loaded. Casey also worked a shutout fourth and fifth inning in relief.
In the sixth though the Trailblazers added another via the long ball as Jack Walker blasted a solo homer to extend the lead to 5-1.
The Matador bats were limited to two hits through the first six innings until the seventh when CSUN began to rally. Simons drew a walk to keep the inning alive with two outs before Kevin Fitzer singled and Nathan Barraza reached on a hit-by-pitch. Neighbors followed with a timely two-run single to pull CSUN to within 5-3.
Romero took over on the mound with one out in the seventh and proceeded to shut down the Trailblazer offense. The right hander allowed just a two-out single in the eighth as his work allowed the CSUN offense to break through in the ninth.
NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"We grew as a team this weekend and are slowly figuring out some key roles. I don't feel like this group strays very far from where we are supposed to go. I like their attitude toward each other and their outlook on getting better.
"Offensively today, we threatened with runners on base most of the game but couldn't get the big hit until the ninth. Better late than never."
UP NEXT
CSUN opens a four-game homestand on Tuesday with a midewek game with San Diego. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Ghizal Hasan has the call on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
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HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN would be down to its final out and trailing 5-3 when it put together a late rally. Neighbors kept the inning alive with a single through the middle. Three pitches later, Stewart unloaded on a two-run homer to left field that evened the game at 5-5.
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TIE GAME
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) February 25, 2024
Conner Stewart blasts a two-out, two-run homer to even the game in the 9th!#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/xJgglNEX2R
Ben Griffin continued the hit parade with a single before Mason Le rifled a double the other way into right to plate pinch runner Smith Chandler all the way from first base. The Matadors took their first lead of the afternoon on the Le base hit.
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Mason Le!
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) February 25, 2024
Clutch hit in the 9th puts us on top for the first time today.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/jzTBooK083
Romero, who entered out of the bullpen in the seventh, made short work of Utah Tech in the bottom of the ninth as he needed only six pitches to shut the door.
Earlier in the day, Utah Tech pushed across the game's first run in the home half of the first inning on a sacrifice fly from Hank Dodson. The Matadors would even the game in the top of the third when Jakob Simons blasted a solo homer to center field.
The Trailblazers though stormed back in front in the bottom of the third. Freshman starter Branden Wauschek retired two of the first three batters to begin the inning, but a walk and an RBi single from Dodson put the home team in front. Aaron Perez added to the lead with a two-run single for a 4-1 Utah Tech lead.
Lucas Casey would come out of the bullpen to limit the damage in the third, leaving the bases loaded. Casey also worked a shutout fourth and fifth inning in relief.
In the sixth though the Trailblazers added another via the long ball as Jack Walker blasted a solo homer to extend the lead to 5-1.
The Matador bats were limited to two hits through the first six innings until the seventh when CSUN began to rally. Simons drew a walk to keep the inning alive with two outs before Kevin Fitzer singled and Nathan Barraza reached on a hit-by-pitch. Neighbors followed with a timely two-run single to pull CSUN to within 5-3.
Romero took over on the mound with one out in the seventh and proceeded to shut down the Trailblazer offense. The right hander allowed just a two-out single in the eighth as his work allowed the CSUN offense to break through in the ninth.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 5-2 overall while Utah Tech slips to 1-7.
- The Matadors are now 4-0 on the road this season. Dating back to last season, CSUN has won nine in a row on the road.
- CSUN scored five of its six runs with two outs.
- Simons has homered three times this season. Stewart's homer was the first of his CSUN career.
- Kenji Pallares worked one shutout inning in relief while Casey tossed 2.2 innings, allowing a run.
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"We grew as a team this weekend and are slowly figuring out some key roles. I don't feel like this group strays very far from where we are supposed to go. I like their attitude toward each other and their outlook on getting better.
"Offensively today, we threatened with runners on base most of the game but couldn't get the big hit until the ninth. Better late than never."
UP NEXT
CSUN opens a four-game homestand on Tuesday with a midewek game with San Diego. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Ghizal Hasan has the call on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Romero, Joshua (2-0)
L: Carson Bonus (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Simons, Jakob 1 ; Stewart, Conner 1
RBI: Simons, Jakob 1 ; Neighbors, Kamau 2 ; Stewart, Conner 2
SH: Sojka, Andrew 1 ; Abel, Trent 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Simons, Jakob 2 ; Fitzer, Kevin 1 ; Neighbors, Kamau 1 ; Stewart, Conner 1 ; Chandler, Smith 1
SB: Stewart, Conner 1
HBP: Barraza, Nathan 1 ; Neighbors, Kamau 1
Batting:
2B: Ethan Royal 1
HR: Jack Walker 1
RBI: Hank Dodson 2 ; Aaron Perez 2 ; Jack Walker 1
SF: Hank Dodson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ethan Royal 2 ; Hank Dodson 1 ; Jack Walker 1 ; Petey Soto Jr. 1
SB: Hank Dodson 1 ; Petey Soto Jr. 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
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