CSUN Drops 14-9 Battle to #13 UC Irvine in Season Finale

Saturday, May 25

Irvine, Calif.

1:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

30-24, 16-14

#13 UC Irvine

43-12, 21-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
CSUN	2	0	2	2	1	0	2	0	0	9	12	0
UC Irvine	1	0	0	7	0	3	0	3	X	14	15	0

Photo by: Connor Clark

CSUN Drops 14-9 Battle to #13 UC Irvine in Season Finale

5/25/2024 5:16:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

IRVINE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball raced out to a five-run lead but could not hold off No. 13 UC Irvine in a 14-9 defeat in the 2024 season finale on Saturday at Anteater Ballpark. All nine Matador starters reached base with eight recording at least one hit. Freshman Jarren Sanderson drove in four runs and finished with two hits including a homer while Kevin Fitzer homered for the 11th time this season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
As they did in the first two games of the series, the Matadors jumped in front early. Andrew Sojka put the Matadors on the scoreboard with a two-out RBI single to plate Kamau Neighbors. CSUN would execute a steal of home plate moments later when Sojka attempted to steal second base, bringing a throw down to second and giving Jakob Simons an opportunity to race home to swipe home plate.

Earning the start on Saturday, Thomas Bainton surrendered a walk and a two-out hit to Anthony Martinez in the bottom of the first but appeared he would get out of trouble when Dub Gleed popped up on the infield. However, the ball was lost in the sun by the Matador infielders, allowing a run to score. Bainton hit the next batter before striking out Thomas McCaffrey. Catcher Ben Griffin would make a heads up play on the strikeout as the ball got away on strike three, but Griffin pounced on the ball and tagged out a runner at home plate.

In the third, CSUN added to its lead behind the long ball. After Simons drew a leadoff walk, Sanderson unloaded on a two-run homer to left for a 4-1 lead.

The Matadors put together a two-out rally in the fourth to extend the lead further. Shunsuke Sakaino kept the inning alive with a single then Simons drew a walk. Sanderson added to his RBI total with a two-run double to left center, making it a 6-1 game.

Bainton blanked the Anteaters over the second and third innings, but the high-powered UCI offense broke through with a big fourth. After retiring the first batter, Bainton allowed the next four to reach. Ryan Wentz entered the fray in a 6-2 game with the bases loaded and one out, but the Anteaters were far from done. A hit by pitch, a two-run single and a fielder's choice squared the game at 6-6. Gleed would give UCI the lead on an RBI single before another single and a bases loaded walk capped a seven-run inning.

The Matadors quickly got a run back in the fifth on an RBI single from Mason Le, plating Nathan Barraza to trim the deficit to 8-7. CSUN though settled for the one run as Neighbors was retired on a fielder's choice.

The Anteater offense broke out again in the bottom of the sixth, plating three more runs. Gleed came through with an RBI single while UCI eventually loaded the bases again with one out. Blake Ignaciak entered out of the bullpen and retired Chase Call on a liner. From there, Gabriel Hernandez relieved Ignaciak but hit the next two batters, extending the lead to 11-7. Diego Gutierrez would then enter the game and pick up the final out of the inning.

Trailing by four, CSUN cut the lead in half in the seventh on one swing of the bat. A Barraza walk led off the inning and Fitzer followed with a two-run homer to trim the deficit to 11-9.

UCI though responded with three more runs in the bottom of the eighth behind three more base hits as Caden Kendle and Martinez picked up two-out RBI hits.

The Matadors entered the ninth trailing 14-9 but continued to battle until the final out. Sojka and Barraza picked up singles to kick off the frame, bringing Fitzer to the plate. Moments later, Fitzer drove a hard-hit ball to short, which was snared by Woody Hadeen. Hadeen was late on a throw to third, but Sojka would overslide the bag and was tagged out. Pinch hitter Will Linberg stepped to the plate next before hitting into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN finishes the season at 30-24 overall and 16-14 in Big West play while UC Irvine, a likely NCAA at-large bid, improves 43-12 and 21-9.
Seniors Sojka and Le each had two hit games while Griffin, Barraza and Neighbors each had a hit. Simons scored three runs to go with three walks in his final CSUN game.
Sanderson finished with 10 RBI in the three game series with two home runs.
Bainton tossed 3.1 innings, allowing five runs on five hits.
Romero, in his final collegiate game, recorded two outs and gave up a run.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"For the most part, we battled. I regret not having 10 to 15 more games where we could still play with this group because this is a good team. Although a lot of things didn't go our way, I'm proud of who they are, how they worked and how close they became, and to be their coach.

I told the seniors that the thing I appreciated most about them is they trusted us with their college experience. I want them to leave CSUN with great memories and love for our environment and for each other, so they can continue to be a part of it and be close to us. The seniors are a group that battles, and they showed it today."

#GoMatadors