Friday, March 15
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
at
Cal Poly
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Opens Big West Play at Cal Poly
3/14/2024 6:41:00 PM | Baseball
GAME NOTES
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball opens the Big West season this weekend with a three-game series with Cal Poly. The series opener is set for Friday night at 6 p.m. before continuing on Saturday at 3 p.m. and concluding on Sunday at 1 p.m. Each game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
CSUN at Cal Poly
RHP Thomas Bainton (1-0, 2.14 ERA) vs. LHP Jakob Wright (2-2, 2.53 ERA)
RHP Ryan Halamicek (2-1, 3.05 ERA) vs. RHP Steven Brooks (1-3, 3.76 ERA)
TBA vs. TBA
LEADING OFF
CSUN enters the Big West portion of its schedule with a 9-7 record. The Matadors look to snap a five-game losing streak when they visit Cal Poly. Over the last four games, the Matadors have lost by a combined six runs.
The team is nearing the end of an eight-game road stretch, which included a four-game series last weekend at sixth-ranked Oregon State and a midweek game with San Diego this past Tuesday. After hosting Pepperdine next Tuesday, March 19, CSUN returns to the road for four more games including a Big West series at UC Riverside next weekend.
LAST TIME OUT
CSUN dropped a 6-5 decision to San Diego this past Tuesday at Fowler Park. The Matadors pounded out three home runs in the game and took a 4-3 lead in the fourth, but the Toreros capitalized on eight walks in the game and eventually went in front 6-4 in the sixth. CSUN got a run back in the seventh but could not get the tying run through in the late innings. Ben Griffin had two hits in the game while Jakob Simons, Nathan Barraza and Shunsuke Sakaino each homered.
SURGING AT THE PLATE
After homering on Tuesday, Jakob Simons has now homered eight times in 16 games. He leads the team with a .328 batting average, 20 runs scored, 19 hits, 18 RBI and a .828 slugging percentage. Kevin Fitzer has collected four home runs on the year to go with a .310 batting average, 14 runs, 10 RBI and a .638 slugging percentage. Also hitting above the .300 mark is Kamau Neighbors who is batting .302 with 12 runs, 12 walks, 11 RBI and five stolen bases. Nathan Barraza and Ben Griffin are near the .300 mark as they are hitting .298 and .288, respectively.
ON THE MOUND
Friday starter Thomas Bainton takes the hill in the opener against Cal Poly as he comes in with a 2.14 ERA and a team-high 21 strikeouts through four starts. Opposing batters are managing a .211 average against Bainton this season. Freshman Ryan Halamicek, who starts game two, sports a 3.05 ERA, 11 strikeouts and a 2-1 record.
Out of the bullpen, senior Joshua Romero has still yet to give up an earned run over his 11.1 innings of work. Romero also leads the team in wins with four, which ranks third in the nation, while he has 12 strikeouts and two saves. Newcomer Hayden Hall has made the second-most relief appearances behind Romero with six as he sports a 1-0 record with a 3.00 ERA.
BIG WEST LEADERBOARDS
Jakob Simons remains the Big West leader in home runs (8), OPS (1.328) and slugging percentage (.828). He also ranks second in runs scored (20) and fourth in RBI (18). Kevin Fitzer is second on the home run list with his four while he is fourth in slugging (.638) and eighth in OPS (1.067). Also on the conference top-10, Kamau Neighbors is sixth in stolen bases (5) and ninth in walks (12). On the pitching side, Joshua Romero's four wins lead The Big West and Thomas Bainton's 2.14 ERA is fifth best. As a team, CSUN is second in the conference in homers (20) and sacrifice hits (19) and third in stolen bases (24).
ABOUT CAL POLY
The Mustangs are 8-8 and winners of two in a row. The team has won six of nine during its homestand with a notable four-game series win over Ohio State. A season ago, Cal Poly went 21-35 overall and 11-19 in Big West play. The team was picked to finish seventh in the conference this season. Head coach Larry Lee is in his 24th season.
Jake Steels tops The Big West with a .441 batting average while he has scored 13 runs and drove in nine runs. Other top hitters include Alejandro Garza, who is batting .362 with 10 RBI, and Ryan Stafford, who is hitting .339 with 12 runs scored and seven RBI. Joe Yorke is the team leader in RBI with 15 total. On the mound, Jakob Wright holds a 2.53 ERA with 23 strikeouts and a 2-2 record. Steven Brooks tops the team in strikeouts (25) and boasts a 3.76 ERA. Cal Poly pitching has a 3.96 ERA on the season.
Series History: CSUN leads the all-time series with Cal Poly 125-117. The Matadors took two of three games from the Mustangs last year at Matador Field. However, CSUN has lost eight-straight series in San Luis Obispo with the last win coming in 2006.
#GoMatadors
Â
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball opens the Big West season this weekend with a three-game series with Cal Poly. The series opener is set for Friday night at 6 p.m. before continuing on Saturday at 3 p.m. and concluding on Sunday at 1 p.m. Each game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
CSUN at Cal Poly
RHP Thomas Bainton (1-0, 2.14 ERA) vs. LHP Jakob Wright (2-2, 2.53 ERA)
RHP Ryan Halamicek (2-1, 3.05 ERA) vs. RHP Steven Brooks (1-3, 3.76 ERA)
TBA vs. TBA
LEADING OFF
CSUN enters the Big West portion of its schedule with a 9-7 record. The Matadors look to snap a five-game losing streak when they visit Cal Poly. Over the last four games, the Matadors have lost by a combined six runs.
The team is nearing the end of an eight-game road stretch, which included a four-game series last weekend at sixth-ranked Oregon State and a midweek game with San Diego this past Tuesday. After hosting Pepperdine next Tuesday, March 19, CSUN returns to the road for four more games including a Big West series at UC Riverside next weekend.
LAST TIME OUT
CSUN dropped a 6-5 decision to San Diego this past Tuesday at Fowler Park. The Matadors pounded out three home runs in the game and took a 4-3 lead in the fourth, but the Toreros capitalized on eight walks in the game and eventually went in front 6-4 in the sixth. CSUN got a run back in the seventh but could not get the tying run through in the late innings. Ben Griffin had two hits in the game while Jakob Simons, Nathan Barraza and Shunsuke Sakaino each homered.
SURGING AT THE PLATE
After homering on Tuesday, Jakob Simons has now homered eight times in 16 games. He leads the team with a .328 batting average, 20 runs scored, 19 hits, 18 RBI and a .828 slugging percentage. Kevin Fitzer has collected four home runs on the year to go with a .310 batting average, 14 runs, 10 RBI and a .638 slugging percentage. Also hitting above the .300 mark is Kamau Neighbors who is batting .302 with 12 runs, 12 walks, 11 RBI and five stolen bases. Nathan Barraza and Ben Griffin are near the .300 mark as they are hitting .298 and .288, respectively.
ON THE MOUND
Friday starter Thomas Bainton takes the hill in the opener against Cal Poly as he comes in with a 2.14 ERA and a team-high 21 strikeouts through four starts. Opposing batters are managing a .211 average against Bainton this season. Freshman Ryan Halamicek, who starts game two, sports a 3.05 ERA, 11 strikeouts and a 2-1 record.
Out of the bullpen, senior Joshua Romero has still yet to give up an earned run over his 11.1 innings of work. Romero also leads the team in wins with four, which ranks third in the nation, while he has 12 strikeouts and two saves. Newcomer Hayden Hall has made the second-most relief appearances behind Romero with six as he sports a 1-0 record with a 3.00 ERA.
BIG WEST LEADERBOARDS
Jakob Simons remains the Big West leader in home runs (8), OPS (1.328) and slugging percentage (.828). He also ranks second in runs scored (20) and fourth in RBI (18). Kevin Fitzer is second on the home run list with his four while he is fourth in slugging (.638) and eighth in OPS (1.067). Also on the conference top-10, Kamau Neighbors is sixth in stolen bases (5) and ninth in walks (12). On the pitching side, Joshua Romero's four wins lead The Big West and Thomas Bainton's 2.14 ERA is fifth best. As a team, CSUN is second in the conference in homers (20) and sacrifice hits (19) and third in stolen bases (24).
ABOUT CAL POLY
The Mustangs are 8-8 and winners of two in a row. The team has won six of nine during its homestand with a notable four-game series win over Ohio State. A season ago, Cal Poly went 21-35 overall and 11-19 in Big West play. The team was picked to finish seventh in the conference this season. Head coach Larry Lee is in his 24th season.
Jake Steels tops The Big West with a .441 batting average while he has scored 13 runs and drove in nine runs. Other top hitters include Alejandro Garza, who is batting .362 with 10 RBI, and Ryan Stafford, who is hitting .339 with 12 runs scored and seven RBI. Joe Yorke is the team leader in RBI with 15 total. On the mound, Jakob Wright holds a 2.53 ERA with 23 strikeouts and a 2-2 record. Steven Brooks tops the team in strikeouts (25) and boasts a 3.76 ERA. Cal Poly pitching has a 3.96 ERA on the season.
Series History: CSUN leads the all-time series with Cal Poly 125-117. The Matadors took two of three games from the Mustangs last year at Matador Field. However, CSUN has lost eight-straight series in San Luis Obispo with the last win coming in 2006.
#GoMatadors
Â
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