CSUN Makes Weekend Trip to #6 Oregon State

Thursday, March 7

Corvallis, Ore.

5:35 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

#6 Oregon State

Baseball Team Walk Off vs. Nevada 3-3-24

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Makes Weekend Trip to #6 Oregon State

3/6/2024 1:59:00 PM | Baseball

GAME NOTES

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball makes its first trip to Corvallis, Ore. in 22 seasons when the Matadors take on Oregon State in a four-game series this weekend. The series opens on Thursday at 5:35 p.m. before continuing on Friday at 4:05 p.m., Saturday at 1:05 p.m. and Sunday at 12:05 p.m. Thursday and Saturday's games will air on Pac-12 Insider while Friday and Sunday will stream online at the Oregon State Live Stream-2.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
CSUN at Oregon State
RHP Thomas Bainton (1-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. LHP Nelson Keljo (0-0, 5.68 ERA)
RHP Kenji Pallares (0-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. RHP Jaren Hunter (0-0, 3.38 ERA)
RHP Ryan Halamicek (2-1, 2.16 ERA) vs. RHP Jacob Kmatz (2-0, 0.64 ERA)
RHP Diego Gutierrez (0-0, 5.84 ERA) vs. RHP Eric Segura (2-0, 3.45 ERA)

LEADING OFF
CSUN enters play this week on an eight-game win streak, the team's longest since 2016 when the Matadors won 13 in a row. Standing at 9-2 overall, CSUN is off to its best 11-game start to a season since 2015. CSUN also sports a spotless 4-0 record on the road with wins in nine consecutive road games dating back to last season. In The Big West standings, CSUN holds the third-best record.

ABOUT THE LAST SERIES
CSUN earned its second sweep of the season and completed a perfect 4-0 homestand this past weekend against Nevada. The Matadors collected two walk-off wins, first in the opener when Jakob Simons belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and down a run for a CSUN 6-4 win. In game two, CSUN clinched the series with a 16-1 victory while freshman Ryan Halamicek tossed six quality innings and allowed one run. The Matadors again won in dramatic fashion in the finale when Nathan Barraza hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th to plate Kamau Neighbors.

AT THE PLATE
Senior infielder Kamau Neighbors is off to a hot start to the season, leading the team with a .361 batting average to go with 10 runs scored, eight RBI and five stolen bases. Fresh off his thrilling walk-off homer last week, graduate outfielder Jakob Simons has now homered a Big West-leading six times while he has scored a team-high 16 runs, driven in 16 runs, drawn eight walks and batted .357 at the plate. Junior outfielder Kevin Fitzer is right behind Simons at a .349 batting average with 12 runs scored, nine RBI and four homers. Also hitting above the .300 mark, senior infielder Nathan Barraza is hitting .333 with nine RBI and three stolen bases.

ON THE MOUND
A preseason All-American, senior Joshua Romero tops the Matadors with four wins, all out of the bullpen, this season. Romero has not allowed an earned run in 9.2 innings while he has racked up 10 strikeouts and two saves over six appearances. Earning the start in Thursday's opener, junior Thomas Bainton comes in with a 2.25 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 16 innings. Junior Kenji Pallares will make his first start of the season on Friday as he holds a 5.40 ERA while freshman Ryan Halamicek, who is 2-1 with a 2.16 ERA, starts Saturday and sophomore Diego Gutierrez, who sports a 5.84 ERA, will start the finale at Oregon State.

ON THE BIG WEST LEADERBOARDS
CSUN is ranked second in The Big West in homers (14), stolen bases (22), sacrifice hits (15) and fielding percentage (.980). As a pitching staff, the Matadors are fourth in the league in earned run average (4.14). Individually, Jakob Simons tops the league in homers (6) followed by Kevin Fitzer in second place (4). Simons is also second in OPS (1.381) and RBI (16) and third in runs scored (16).

SCOUTING OREGON STATE
The Beavers come in with an 11-1 record with their only loss coming to Arkansas. Prior to the season, Oregon State was picked to win the Pac-12. The Beavers are ranked sixth or higher in every national poll entering the week and as high as No. 4 by Baseball America. In 2023, Oregon State went 41-20 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Micah McDowell tops the Beavers with a .438 batting average to go with 13 runs and seven RBI. Travis Bazzana leads the squad with six homers and 18 RBI while batting .432 at the plate. Starters Jacob Kmatz and Eric Segura are each 2-0 on the season with Kmatz posting a 0.64 ERA and Segura sporting a 3.45 ERA. As a team, Oregon State is ranked sixth in the nation in slugging percentage (.606) while the Beavers top the Pac-12 with a .326 batting average.

Series History: Oregon State leads CSUN 10-9 in the all-time series, but the teams have not played since 2005 in a neutral-site game with the Beavers coming out on top 4-1. CSUN took a three-game series in its last trip to Oregon State in 2002 as the Matadors won two of three games.

#GoMatadors