Sunday, April 28
Northridge, Calif.
1:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
27-14, 14-4
3
vs
0
Cal State Bakersfield
11-29, 6-15
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
CSU Bakersfield
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
CSUN
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
X
3
8
0
Photo by: Connor Clark
CSUN Pitching Tosses Four-Hit Shutout to Earn Sweep of CSUB
4/28/2024 4:15:00 PM | Baseball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball secured a series sweep behind a combined four-hit shutout of Cal State Bakersfield in a 3-0 win on Sunday at Matador Field. Justin Vose worked a season-high six shutout innings, allowing three hits with three strikeouts. Shunsuke Sakaino picked up two hits and two RBI in the victory. The Matadors extended their win streak to eight in a row.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sunday's series finale would be a pitcher's duel for most of the afternoon. Vose would walk the first batter of the game but rebound by inducing a 4-6-3 double play to slow the rally. Bakersfield put the first batter on base in the second and third innings as well before Vose retired the next three batters in each of those frames. In contrast, CSUN would be blanked through the first three innings while the Matadors left the bases loaded in the third against starter Kellen O'Connor.
In the fourth though CSUN broke through with a clutch two-out hit from Sakaino. Jarren Sanderson led off the inning with an infield single while Andrew Sojka added a single of his own with one out. Two batters later, Sakaino delivered a two-run triple down the right field line to put the Matadors on top 2-0.
The two runs would be more than enough for Vose who found his rhythm on the mound over the middle innings. After giving up a leadoff single to Elijah Pelayo in the third, Vose sat down the next 12 batters in succession with 10 coming via groundouts.
A leadoff single in the seventh from Kobe Silva would lead to a change on the mound. Diego Gutierrez came on in relief of Vose and received a timely 3-6 lineout double play off the bat of Kyler Stancato to squash the Roadrunner rally. CSUB hit into another double play in the eighth when Cooper Gereke attempted a steal but would be doubled up on a Pelayo popout.
The Matadors added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with another key two-out hit. Ben Griffin kept the inning alive with a two-out walk before a stolen base by pinch runner Roberto Gonzalez and an intentional walk drawn by Andrew Sojka put runners at first and second. A wild pitch allowed Gonzalez to move up to third then pinch hitter Andrew Gauna delivered an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
In the ninth, Gutierrez marched back out to the mound and retired the side in order to nail down the save.
NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"I thought Justin pounded the zone. He didn't look good in warmups, I don't think he threw a strike and that worried us, but we had the pitching laid out to where even if he struggled, I think we would have been fine. Bakersfield can really pitch over there, so if he got in trouble, I would have gone to the next man. He never really gave me that chance. It was a good job by him filling up the zone even when he got behind in counts, he came back. The defense made the routine plays behind him."
POST-GAME COMMENTS FROM JUSTIN VOSE
"I really just mixed my pitches, kept them off balanced and filled up the zone as much as I could. It's been really amazing having the defense behind me. Every time the ball is put in play, I'm not really stressing out because I know they'll make the play behind me. They picked me up quite a few times this year, so it's been nice having them."
UP NEXT
The Matadors complete their homestand on Tuesday against San Diego State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. with Ghizal Hasan on the call at ESPN+ and GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#GoMatadors
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sunday's series finale would be a pitcher's duel for most of the afternoon. Vose would walk the first batter of the game but rebound by inducing a 4-6-3 double play to slow the rally. Bakersfield put the first batter on base in the second and third innings as well before Vose retired the next three batters in each of those frames. In contrast, CSUN would be blanked through the first three innings while the Matadors left the bases loaded in the third against starter Kellen O'Connor.
In the fourth though CSUN broke through with a clutch two-out hit from Sakaino. Jarren Sanderson led off the inning with an infield single while Andrew Sojka added a single of his own with one out. Two batters later, Sakaino delivered a two-run triple down the right field line to put the Matadors on top 2-0.
The Shun Show™?
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) April 28, 2024
A 2-RBI triple to score Griffin and Sojka gives CSUN the lead!#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/3YunUcExdR
The two runs would be more than enough for Vose who found his rhythm on the mound over the middle innings. After giving up a leadoff single to Elijah Pelayo in the third, Vose sat down the next 12 batters in succession with 10 coming via groundouts.
A leadoff single in the seventh from Kobe Silva would lead to a change on the mound. Diego Gutierrez came on in relief of Vose and received a timely 3-6 lineout double play off the bat of Kyler Stancato to squash the Roadrunner rally. CSUB hit into another double play in the eighth when Cooper Gereke attempted a steal but would be doubled up on a Pelayo popout.
The Matadors added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with another key two-out hit. Ben Griffin kept the inning alive with a two-out walk before a stolen base by pinch runner Roberto Gonzalez and an intentional walk drawn by Andrew Sojka put runners at first and second. A wild pitch allowed Gonzalez to move up to third then pinch hitter Andrew Gauna delivered an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
In the ninth, Gutierrez marched back out to the mound and retired the side in order to nail down the save.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 27-14 overall and 14-4 in Big West play while Bakersfield falls to 11-29 and 6-15.
- Vose improved to 2-0 on the season while Gutierrez secured his first save.
- Kevin Fitzer went 1-for-4 with a double to extend his on-base streak to 31.
- CSUN has matched its longest winning streak of the season at eight.
- The Matadors have won seven straight over Cal State Bakersfield.
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"I thought Justin pounded the zone. He didn't look good in warmups, I don't think he threw a strike and that worried us, but we had the pitching laid out to where even if he struggled, I think we would have been fine. Bakersfield can really pitch over there, so if he got in trouble, I would have gone to the next man. He never really gave me that chance. It was a good job by him filling up the zone even when he got behind in counts, he came back. The defense made the routine plays behind him."
POST-GAME COMMENTS FROM JUSTIN VOSE
"I really just mixed my pitches, kept them off balanced and filled up the zone as much as I could. It's been really amazing having the defense behind me. Every time the ball is put in play, I'm not really stressing out because I know they'll make the play behind me. They picked me up quite a few times this year, so it's been nice having them."
UP NEXT
The Matadors complete their homestand on Tuesday against San Diego State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. with Ghizal Hasan on the call at ESPN+ and GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#GoMatadors
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Vose, Justin (2-0)
L: O'Connor, Kellen (1-2)
S: Gutierrez, Diego (1)
Batting:
SH: Salas, Nick 1 ; Hendriks, Cody 1
Base Running:
SB: Stancato, Kyler 1
HBP: Bernal, Max 1
Batting:
2B: Fitzer, Kevin 1
3B: Sakaino, Shunsuke 1
RBI: Gauna, Andrew 1 ; Sakaino, Shunsuke 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Griffin, Ben 1 ; Gonzalez, Roberto 1 ; Sojka, Andrew 1
SB: Gonzalez, Roberto 1
CS: Sojka, Andrew 1
PO: Sojka, Andrew 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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OF/RHP
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INF
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OF/C
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RHP
/ BaseballINF
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INF/OF
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