CSUN Drops Game Two at #6 Oregon State, 8-6

Friday, March 8

Corvallis, Ore.

4:05 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

9-4

#6 Oregon State

13-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
CSUN	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	8	2
Oregon State	6	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	X	8	10	1

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Drops Game Two at #6 Oregon State, 8-6

3/8/2024 9:59:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

CORVALLIS, Ore.---CSUN Baseball scored six times over the first three innings but could not hold off No. 6 Oregon State in an 8-6 defeat on Friday evening at Goss Stadium. Conner Stewart blasted a two-run homer while Ben Griffin drove in two more runs on the day. CSUN's bullpen combined to toss 5.1 innings, allowing one run.

HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN jumped on Oregon State in the top of the first. After the first two batters reached to start, Kevin Fitzer rifled a single to left field to produce the game's first run. Nathan Barraza sacrificed both runners on a bunt before Griffin singled up the middle to drive in two and extend the lead to 3-0. The Matadors though settled for the three runs, leaving the bases loaded to end the frame.

The Beavers though answered quickly in a lengthy bottom of the first. Capitalizing on two catcher's interference calls and a passed ball, Oregon State sent 11 batters to plate and collected five hits, highlighted by a big three-run homer from Jacob Krieg. Travis Bazzana capped a six-run bottom of the first with an RBI single.

The Matadors trailed 6-3 in the third before putting together a quick two-out rally to even the game up. After the first two batters were retired, Mason Le started the rally with a double. Shunsuke Sakaino followed on the next pitch with an RBI single then Stewart belted a two-run homer to left field a pitch later to square the game at 6-6.

On the mound, Kenji Pallares worked his way through two innings to get to the third where he retired Tanner Smith on a strikeout to start. However, Pallares walked the next two batters then struck out the following batter before walking yet another to load the bases. Ryan Wentz relieved Pallares and walked the first batter he faced to force in the go-ahead run.

The Beavers added to their lead in the fourth inning on back-to-back doubles. Wentz would settle down after the two extra base hits to retire the next three batters in a row.

After eight runs were scored through the first four frames, CSUN's bullpen would blank the high-powered Beaver offense the rest of the way. Wentz tossed a scoreless fifth, stranding a pair of runners before recording a pair of outs in the sixth. Hayden Hall would strand two more Beaver base runners in the bottom of the sixth then retire six of seven batters over the next two innings.

On the flip side, the Matadors had base runners reach in nearly every inning, but they could not push across runs after the third inning. CSUN had two runners on base with one out in the fifth, but Stewart grounded into an inning-ending double play. The Matadors also had base runners thrown out on the base paths in the sixth and seventh innings.

CSUN threatened once more in the ninth when the first two batters reached. OSU's Bridger Holmes though shut the door by striking out the next three batters to end the game.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN drops to 9-4 overall while Oregon State improves to 13-1.
Sakaino and Barraza had two hits apiece while Sakaino reached base three times.
CSUN pitching racked up 13 strikeouts in the game.
Wentz worked three innings, allowing one run on three hits to go with six strikeouts.
Hal tossed 2.1 shutout innings with just one hit allowed.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"We beat ourselves tonight. We rode a roller coaster of highs and lows and that's now how a consistent team needs to play if they want to be good.

"Ryan Wentz gave us his best outing on the season and Hayden Hall anchored it down at the tail end, but our team needs to get back to playing all nine innings."

UP NEXT
CSUN continues its weekend series at Oregon State on Saturday at 1:05 p.m.

#GoMatadors