California State University at Northridge
15-10, 5-2
UC Davis
13-11, 3-4
Matadors Power Their Way to 13-9 Win Over UC Davis
3/28/2024 6:25:00 PM | Baseball
HOW IT HAPPENED
Bainton had to work out of trouble in the top of the first when the Aggies loaded the bases with two outs, but the Matador right hander picked up a timely strikeout of Jack Gallagher to end the threat.
CSUN would strike first in the home half of the first inning, taking advantage of a pair of walks. With runners at first and second and one out, Fitzer rifled a single to center for an RBI single to plate Kamau Neighbors. The Matadors later added to their lead in the second inning on a long solo home run from Jarren Sanderson for a 2-0 lead.
Bainton gave up a solo homer to start the third to Alex Gouveia, however, he would turn it around on the mound, and starting with a strikeout of Jason Hanson in the third, he retired 11 consecutive batters.
On the flip side, the Matador bats came alive over the middle innings. In the fourth, Sakaino blasted an opposite field two-run homer to left to add to the lead.
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??? SHUUUUUUN
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) March 28, 2024
A two-run opposite field shot gives CSUN a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the 4th.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/84EqhcKcm1
Mason Le capped a three-run fourth inning with an RBI groundout. CSUN added another two runs in the fifth on a Fitzer RBI double and Sanderson sacrifice fly. The Matadors flexed their muscles in the sixth inning when Neighbors blasted a two-run homer and Fitzer belted a solo homer to extend to a 10-1 lead.
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FOUR total home runs for CSUN today, this time courtesy of Kevin Fitzer.
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) March 29, 2024
10-1 in the bottom of the 6th.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/mVlFWMLPrp
Bainton exited the game after six innings, giving way to the bullpen. The Aggies though began to battle back in the seventh inning starting with a two-out three-run home run from Mark Wolbert. UC Davis turned to the long ball again in the eighth, and after loading the bases with one out, Ryan Lee hammered a grand slam to suddenly trim the deficit to 10-8.
Joshua Romero would be summoned from the bullpen with one out in the eighth and the tying run at the plate. Just two pitches later, Romero induced a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the jam.
CSUN scored three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth as Ben Griffin hit a sacrifice fly and Sakaino rifled a two-run single up the middle.
With a five-run lead to protect, Romero gave up a single tally in the ninth but shut the door to earn the save.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 15-10 on the season and 5-2 in Big West play while UC Davis slips to 13-11 overall and 3-4 in conference.
- Eight of nine Matador starters reached base while seven scored at least once.
- Neighbors scored three times and finished with two hits. Sanderson also added two hits along with two RBI and two runs.
- Fitzer has now reached base in 21 straight games.
- Romero has four saves on the season.
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"I was really pleased with the offensive approach of our hitters. The willingness and the discipline that we exuded there, we just came out ready to be aggressive, and I really appreciated that. Thomas didn't have his best stuff early, but he found a way to get back in it. I think this is a good team, and that's what I told our players at the end of the game. They took a little bit of the momentum and the edge from us today because we were in control for a good amount of that game. Once we went to the bullpen, we let off the gas and that's what I was really displeased with. We need to play better tomorrow because I think we're going to face a better Davis team."
UP NEXT
CSUN will play a Friday doubleheader with UC Davis to close the three-game series. First pitch for the opener is set for 11 a.m. with game two scheduled to start 40 minutes after. Game one of the twin bill will be streamed on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bainton, Thomas (2-0)
L: Braydon Wooldridge (1-1)
S: Romero, Joshua (4)
Batting:
HR: Alex Gouveia 1 ; Mark Wolbert 2 ; Ryan Lee 1
RBI: Alex Gouveia 1 ; Mark Wolbert 4 ; Ryan Lee 4
SH: Mark Wolbert 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Alex Gouveia 1 ; Mark Wolbert 2 ; Nick Leehey 1 ; Braydon Wooldridge 1 ; Jaxon Murphy 2 ; Ryan Lee 2
Batting:
2B: Neighbors, Kamau 1 ; Fitzer, Kevin 1 ; Sanderson, Jarren 1
HR: Neighbors, Kamau 1 ; Fitzer, Kevin 1 ; Sakaino, Shunsuke 1 ; Sanderson, Jarren 1
RBI: Neighbors, Kamau 2 ; Fitzer, Kevin 3 ; Griffin, Ben 1 ; Sakaino, Shunsuke 4 ; Sanderson, Jarren 2 ; Le, Mason 1
SH: Linberg, Will 2
SF: Griffin, Ben 1 ; Sanderson, Jarren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Neighbors, Kamau 3 ; Simons, Jakob 2 ; Fitzer, Kevin 3 ; Griffin, Ben 1 ; Sakaino, Shunsuke 1 ; Sanderson, Jarren 2 ; Le, Mason 1
SB: Simons, Jakob 1 ; Fitzer, Kevin 1
HBP: Simons, Jakob 2 ; Griffin, Ben 1 ; Sakaino, Shunsuke 1
