Saturday, April 27
Northridge, Calif.
2:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
26-14, 13-4
5
vs
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Cal State Bakersfield
11-28, 6-14
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9
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H
E
CSU Bakersfield
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
1
4
12
3
CSUN
0
3
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
5
9
0
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
Sakaino's Squeeze Lifts CSUN to Walk-Off Win Over CSUB
4/27/2024 5:56:00 PM | Baseball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Shunsuke Sakaino executed a squeeze bunt with two strikes in the ninth to lift CSUN to a 5-4 win over Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday afternoon at Matador Field. Sakaino finished with two RBI while Andrew Sojka and Jarred Sanderson collected two hits apiece. Ryan Wentz worked three shutout innings out of the bullpen. The Matadors extended their win streak to seven games and secured a series win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
With the game squared at 4-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth, Sojka led off the frame with a double. Roberto Gonzalez would come off the bench and lay down a sacrifice bunt, however a throwing error by starter Gary Grosjean allowed Gonzalez to reach. From there, Ben Griffin battled back from a 0-2 count to walk, bringing Sakaino to the plate. Sakaino also fell into a 0-2 hole but followed with a squeeze bunt up the first base side to bring home Sojka for the walk-off win.
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Earlier in the game, neither side managed a base runner until the bottom of the second. A Sojka walk and Sanderson single set the table for Griffin who rifled an RBI single to center field. Both runners ended up scoring on the Sojka single as center fielder Kyler Stancato misplayed the single. Sakaino would cap the inning with a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 CSUN lead.
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Starter Ryan Halamicek was strong in the early going, retiring the first eight batters of the game. The Roadrunners were able to put together a pair of two-out hits in the third, but CSUN's defense of Sanderson, Mason Le and Griffin teamed up to throw out Elijah Pelayo at the plate.
Halamicek put up another zero in the fourth inning before CSUB finally broke through in the fifth. Following hits from Kobe Silva and Michael Pollard, a sacrifice bunt moved both runners up with one out. Pelayo hit a sacrifice fly and Nick Salas followed with a triple into right center field. CSUN went to Wentz out of the bullpen with two outs, but Stancato greeted him unkindly with a game-tying RBI single.
The score remained tied at 3-3 until the bottom of the seventh where CSUN scored without the benefit of a hit. Griffin reached on a leadoff walk before moving up to third base on back-to-back wild pitches from Grosjean. Moments later, Grosjean committed a balk, allowing Griffin to score the go-ahead run.
It seemed as though the one run would be enough to hold off the Roadrunners in the late innings. Wentz retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced and pitched into the eighth inning. Wentz though surrendered three-straight infield singles with two outs, prompting a change on the mound.
Joshua Romero entered the fray and retired Pollard for the final out of the eighth, but CSUN's closer ran into trouble in the ninth. The first two batters reached to kick off the ninth before a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly pushed across the tying run. Romero would get Max Bernal on strikes for the final out, setting the stage for the heroics in the bottom of the ninth.
NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"I give credit to Bakersfield because they are in a lot of games if you look at their record. They compete, they're never out of it and they play freely like they have nothing to lose. I wish we would play like that more. Their pitcher was tough, he gave us fits. I'm just happy they were able to give us two runs, essentially. Sometimes, good ballclubs are in every game and they give themselves a chance to win baseball games because of opponent mistakes."
POSTGAME COMMENTS FROM SHUNSUKE SAKAINO
"From the first pitch, Eddie put the safety sign on and I was not looking at him. When I saw him, I was surprised myself [to be asked to bunt]. I just put the ball down. I wouldn't be in the situation without the other guys, so it was a team effort for sure.
"I think the pitching was really big today. They threw strikes and didn't have any walks. I think our defense was always solid too, so pitching and defense win games."
UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up its weekend series with Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday at 1 p.m. with Ghizal Hasan on the call on ESPN+ and GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#GoMatadors
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HOW IT HAPPENED
With the game squared at 4-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth, Sojka led off the frame with a double. Roberto Gonzalez would come off the bench and lay down a sacrifice bunt, however a throwing error by starter Gary Grosjean allowed Gonzalez to reach. From there, Ben Griffin battled back from a 0-2 count to walk, bringing Sakaino to the plate. Sakaino also fell into a 0-2 hole but followed with a squeeze bunt up the first base side to bring home Sojka for the walk-off win.
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WALK-OFF WIN!
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) April 27, 2024
Shun Sakaino gets it done on an 0-2 count.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/Zn7XI4gBLV
Earlier in the game, neither side managed a base runner until the bottom of the second. A Sojka walk and Sanderson single set the table for Griffin who rifled an RBI single to center field. Both runners ended up scoring on the Sojka single as center fielder Kyler Stancato misplayed the single. Sakaino would cap the inning with a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 CSUN lead.
Â
Hit in the face with a pitch less than 24 hours ago.
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) April 27, 2024
Puts CSUN up 2-0.
Ben Griffin everyone.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/yABxPtW5uG
Starter Ryan Halamicek was strong in the early going, retiring the first eight batters of the game. The Roadrunners were able to put together a pair of two-out hits in the third, but CSUN's defense of Sanderson, Mason Le and Griffin teamed up to throw out Elijah Pelayo at the plate.
Halamicek put up another zero in the fourth inning before CSUB finally broke through in the fifth. Following hits from Kobe Silva and Michael Pollard, a sacrifice bunt moved both runners up with one out. Pelayo hit a sacrifice fly and Nick Salas followed with a triple into right center field. CSUN went to Wentz out of the bullpen with two outs, but Stancato greeted him unkindly with a game-tying RBI single.
The score remained tied at 3-3 until the bottom of the seventh where CSUN scored without the benefit of a hit. Griffin reached on a leadoff walk before moving up to third base on back-to-back wild pitches from Grosjean. Moments later, Grosjean committed a balk, allowing Griffin to score the go-ahead run.
It seemed as though the one run would be enough to hold off the Roadrunners in the late innings. Wentz retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced and pitched into the eighth inning. Wentz though surrendered three-straight infield singles with two outs, prompting a change on the mound.
Joshua Romero entered the fray and retired Pollard for the final out of the eighth, but CSUN's closer ran into trouble in the ninth. The first two batters reached to kick off the ninth before a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly pushed across the tying run. Romero would get Max Bernal on strikes for the final out, setting the stage for the heroics in the bottom of the ninth.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 26-14 overall and 13-4 in Big West play while Bakersfield falls to 11-28 and 6-14.
- The Matadors have won five-straight Big West series.
- Kevin Fitzer extended his on-base streak to 30 games while Kamau Neighbors stretched his on-base streak to 22.
- Jakob Simons has hit safely in 10 in a row.
- Romero picked up his team-high eighth win of the season.
- CSUN notched its fourth walk-off hit of the season.
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"I give credit to Bakersfield because they are in a lot of games if you look at their record. They compete, they're never out of it and they play freely like they have nothing to lose. I wish we would play like that more. Their pitcher was tough, he gave us fits. I'm just happy they were able to give us two runs, essentially. Sometimes, good ballclubs are in every game and they give themselves a chance to win baseball games because of opponent mistakes."
POSTGAME COMMENTS FROM SHUNSUKE SAKAINO
"From the first pitch, Eddie put the safety sign on and I was not looking at him. When I saw him, I was surprised myself [to be asked to bunt]. I just put the ball down. I wouldn't be in the situation without the other guys, so it was a team effort for sure.
"I think the pitching was really big today. They threw strikes and didn't have any walks. I think our defense was always solid too, so pitching and defense win games."
UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up its weekend series with Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday at 1 p.m. with Ghizal Hasan on the call on ESPN+ and GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#GoMatadors
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Romero, Joshua (8-2)
L: Grosjean, Gary (1-5)
Batting:
2B: Salas, Nick 1
3B: Salas, Nick 1
RBI: Salas, Nick 1 ; Stancato, Kyler 2 ; Pelayo, Elijah 1
SH: Salas, Nick 1 ; Gerecke, Cooper 1
SF: Stancato, Kyler 1 ; Pelayo, Elijah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Salas, Nick 1 ; Silva, Kobe 1 ; Pollard, Michael 1 ; Shields, Jonah 1
HBP: Pelayo, Elijah 1
Batting:
2B: Sojka, Andrew 2
RBI: Griffin, Ben 1 ; Sakaino, Shunsuke 2
SH: Gonzalez, Roberto 1
SF: Sakaino, Shunsuke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sojka, Andrew 2 ; Sanderson, Jarren 1 ; Griffin, Ben 2
SB: Sanderson, Jarren 1
CS: Neighbors, Kamau 1
Game Leaders
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3
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H
2
RBI
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3
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1
H
2
RBI
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AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
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AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
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Players Mentioned
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OF/C
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INF
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RHP
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