CSUN Drops Back-and-Forth Game at #6 Oregon State

Saturday, March 9

Corvallis, Ore.

1:05 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

9-5

#6 Oregon State

14-1

CSUN

Oregon State

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Drops Back-and-Forth Game at #6 Oregon State

3/9/2024 9:55:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

CORVALLIS, Ore.---CSUN Baseball could not hold on to a late lead in a 7-6 loss at No. 6 Oregon State on Saturday at Goss Stadium. Jakob Simons finished a triple shy of the cycle as he homered for the seventh time this season while Shunsuke Sakaino had three hits and two runs scored. Roberto Gonzalez hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth, but the Beavers answered with two in the home half and held on in the ninth.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers would score three over the first two frames beginning in the first inning when Mason Guerra hit an RBI single. CSUN turned a double play in the first to prevent further damage, but Oregon State plated two runs in the second on a two-out RBI double from Micah McDowell.

CSUN picked up some two-out magic in the third on a solo homer from Simons to get on the scoreboard. The Matadors then put up a three-spot in the fourth after three consecutive hits as Gonzalez picked up an RBI double. Andrew Gauna followed with a sacrifice fly to even the game then Gonzalez later scored on a wild pitch to give CSUN the lead.

CSUN pitching held Oregon State scoreless over two-straight innings, but the Beavers broke through with the tying run in the sixth on an RBI single from Jabin Trosky. Oregon State would push the go-ahead run across in the seventh on a two-out infield single off Joshua Romero with the bases loaded.

The Matadors though were undeterred as they received a big two-out hit of their own in the eighth. With a runner at first base and two outs, Gonzalez blasted a go-ahead two-run homer for a CSUN 6-5 lead.

Romero marched back to the mound in the eighth looking to protect the lead, but an error to start the inning opened the door for the Beavers. Romero retired two of the next three batters but gave up back-to-back two-out RBI hits, giving the Beavers the lead once more at 7-6.

In the ninth, CSUN threatened again, loading the bases with one out before Conner Stewart fouled out and Sakaino was retired on strikes to end the game.

GAME NOTES

CSUN falls to 9-5 on the season while Oregon State improves to 14-1.
Ryan Halamaciek started the game and went four innings, allowing three runs with two strikeouts.
Hayden Hall worked 2.1 innings out of the bullpen and surrendered two runs.
CSUN left nine base runners while Oregon State left 12.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"We had many opportunities, both on the defensive side and the offensive side to close out a close baseball game. At the end of the day, we couldn't execute.

"I say this often, but when we play out of character, it is rare. Yesterday was a rare occurrence and today is a rare occurrence. Just so happened to be on back-to-back days. The game of baseball is trying to teach us lessons that we need to be open-minded to if we'd like to change the course of future games."

UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up its weekend series at Oregon State on Sunday at 12:05 p.m.

#GoMatadors