California State University Northridge Athletics
Saturday, May 11
Northridge, Calif.
2:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
29-18, 15-8
6
vs
4
UC San Diego
27-21, 14-12
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
9th innning9
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
UC San Diego
1
0
0
0
0
1
2
0
0
4
8
0
CSUN
0
0
0
1
0
5
0
0
X
6
9
1
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Evens Series with UCSD Behind Five-Run Sixth
5/11/2024 5:41:00 PM | Baseball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball evened its weekend series with UC San Diego after a 6-4 win on Saturday at Matador Field. Shunsuke Sakaino and Jakob Simons drove in two runs apiece in a two-out, five-run sixth inning that gave CSUN the lead for good. Ryan Wentz worked the final 2.2 innings to nail down his first save of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tritons jumped on the scoreboard in the top of the first for the second consecutive day, however CSUN's defense limited the damage. With runners at second and third base and one out, Emiliano Gonzalez drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Andy Ambriz followed with a single to left, but Jarren Sanderson threw out Anthony Potestio at the plate for the final out of the frame.
After giving up a run in the first, CSUN starter Ryan Halamicek bounced back with four consecutive shutout frames. Matador defense turned two double plays during Halamicek's outing while the right hander retired seven of eight batters during one stretch.
On the flip side, CSUN was held to one hit through the first three innings before breaking through in the fourth. Andrew Sojka picked up a one-out double to set the table before Nathan Barraza came through with an RBI hit to left center two batters later.
Scoreless since the first, the Tritons reclaimed the lead in the sixth. Halamicek would issue a walk and give up a single to start the inning. After Potestio moved up both runners on a sacrifice bunt, Halamicek was replaced by Justin Vose on the mound. Vose would retire Gonzalez on a grounder up the middle to Mason Le, however the go-ahead run scored on the play. Moments later, Vose struck out Ambriz on three pitches to prevent any further damage.
CSUN's offense finally broke through in the sixth, all with two outs. Barraza started the rally with a single before Conner Stewart was hit by a pitch. Will Linberg would come off the bench to deliver an RBI pinch-hit single to square the game at 2-2. A Kamau Neighbors walk loaded the bases then Sakaino followed with a two-run single to put the Matadors ahead. Simons capped off the scoring spree with a two-run single to left center, making it a 6-2 game.
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The Tritons were able to get two runs back in the top of the seventh behind a two-run single from Nick Costello. Out of the bullpen, Wentz was able to slow the uprising, retiring two of three batters to strand two base runners.
Wentz pitched around a two-out single in the eighth before stranding another base runner in the ninth to nail down the save.
NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"The approach today was that we've got to get back to disciplined at bats, so swinging at pitches that we want to swing at and not swing at the ones that the pitchers want them to swing. We did a better job. There are still some at bats where we are beating ourselves and being undisciplined. At this point, it may be two to three games to get back to where we were, but this was a good step forward.
"I'm proud of our pitching staff. Halamicek showed the ability to respond well. Romero wasn't available and Hayden Hall wasn't available, so we had to bridge with Justin Vose. It was huge for Wentz to get the stop and save our pitching for tomorrow."
UP NEXT
CSUN and UC San Diego play the rubber game of their weekend series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
#GoMatadors
Â
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tritons jumped on the scoreboard in the top of the first for the second consecutive day, however CSUN's defense limited the damage. With runners at second and third base and one out, Emiliano Gonzalez drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Andy Ambriz followed with a single to left, but Jarren Sanderson threw out Anthony Potestio at the plate for the final out of the frame.
After giving up a run in the first, CSUN starter Ryan Halamicek bounced back with four consecutive shutout frames. Matador defense turned two double plays during Halamicek's outing while the right hander retired seven of eight batters during one stretch.
On the flip side, CSUN was held to one hit through the first three innings before breaking through in the fourth. Andrew Sojka picked up a one-out double to set the table before Nathan Barraza came through with an RBI hit to left center two batters later.
Scoreless since the first, the Tritons reclaimed the lead in the sixth. Halamicek would issue a walk and give up a single to start the inning. After Potestio moved up both runners on a sacrifice bunt, Halamicek was replaced by Justin Vose on the mound. Vose would retire Gonzalez on a grounder up the middle to Mason Le, however the go-ahead run scored on the play. Moments later, Vose struck out Ambriz on three pitches to prevent any further damage.
CSUN's offense finally broke through in the sixth, all with two outs. Barraza started the rally with a single before Conner Stewart was hit by a pitch. Will Linberg would come off the bench to deliver an RBI pinch-hit single to square the game at 2-2. A Kamau Neighbors walk loaded the bases then Sakaino followed with a two-run single to put the Matadors ahead. Simons capped off the scoring spree with a two-run single to left center, making it a 6-2 game.
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SHUUUUUUUN.
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) May 11, 2024
The 2-RBI single to score Stewart and Linberg gives CSUN its first lead of the game.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/HVMmXSAGK2
The Tritons were able to get two runs back in the top of the seventh behind a two-run single from Nick Costello. Out of the bullpen, Wentz was able to slow the uprising, retiring two of three batters to strand two base runners.
Wentz pitched around a two-out single in the eighth before stranding another base runner in the ninth to nail down the save.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 29-18 overall and 15-8 in Big West play while UCSD falls to 27-21 and 14-12.
- Sakaino finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. He has produced 15 multiple-hit games on the season.
- Sanderson and Barraza also had two-hit games.
- Vose was credited with the win, his third of the season, after working an inning and giving up an earned run.
- Halamicek worked 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on five hits to go with a strikeout.
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"The approach today was that we've got to get back to disciplined at bats, so swinging at pitches that we want to swing at and not swing at the ones that the pitchers want them to swing. We did a better job. There are still some at bats where we are beating ourselves and being undisciplined. At this point, it may be two to three games to get back to where we were, but this was a good step forward.
"I'm proud of our pitching staff. Halamicek showed the ability to respond well. Romero wasn't available and Hayden Hall wasn't available, so we had to bridge with Justin Vose. It was huge for Wentz to get the stop and save our pitching for tomorrow."
UP NEXT
CSUN and UC San Diego play the rubber game of their weekend series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
#GoMatadors
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Vose, Justin (3-1)
L: Hasegawa, Sam (0-1)
S: Wentz, Ryan (1)
Batting:
2B: Potestio, Anthony 1
RBI: Costello, Nick 2 ; Gonzalez, Emiliano 2
SH: Potestio, Anthony 1
SF: Gonzalez, Emiliano 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Costello, Nick 2 ; Kane, Doyle 1 ; Kleszcz, Brock 1
HBP: Costello, Nick 1
Batting:
2B: Sojka, Andrew 1
RBI: Sakaino, Shunsuke 2 ; Simons, Jakob 2 ; Barraza, Nathan 1 ; Linberg, Will 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Neighbors, Kamau 1 ; Sakaino, Shunsuke 1 ; Sojka, Andrew 1 ; Barraza, Nathan 1 ; Stewart, Conner 1 ; Linberg, Will 1
SB: Sakaino, Shunsuke 1 ; Sanderson, Jarren 1
HBP: Simons, Jakob 1 ; Stewart, Conner 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
UTIL
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
1B/OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF/OF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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