Friday, February 21
Northridge, Calif.
4:30 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
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BYU
4-3
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BYU
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CSUN
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Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Cannot Overcome Early Deficit in 7-3 Loss to BYU
2/21/2025 10:28:00 PM | Baseball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball could not overcome an early six-run deficit in a 7-3 loss to BYU on Friday at Robert J. Hiegert Field. Matthew Pena provided the offense for CSUN, blasting a three-run homer while the Matador bullpen combined to allow two runs over the final 5.2 innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second straight day, BYU scored early against Matador starting pitching. After scoring six runs in the top of the first on Thursday, BYU scored six runs over the first four innings on Friday to build a big lead. In the second, Cooper Vest led off with a solo home run before the next two batters reached safely. Brock Watkins drove in another run on a groundout and Crew McChesney came through with a two-out infield single for a 3-0 lead.
Bryker Hurdsman added to the lead with a one-out RBI double in the third while two more runs came around to score in the fourth without any hits recorded. In the fourth, three hit batters and a walk contributed to a run and another scored on a fielder's choice, putting CSUN in a 6-0 hole.
Meanwhile, the Matadors were unable figure out BYU starter Jayden Harris who no-hit CSUN threw 4.1 innings. CSUN would manage to strand five base runners over the first four innings with Harris issuing four walks. CSUN left two base runners in the third and fourth innings against Harris.
In the fifth, CSUN would battle back and finally break through in the hit column. A leadoff walk from Andrew Becker would set the table before Colton Boardman broke up the no-hitter with a bunt single. Moments later, Pena blasted a three-run homer to right to pull CSUN to within 6-3.
However, BYU's bullpen took control beginning in the sixth. Justis Reiser struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth, beginning a stretch of nine straight batters retired.
After BYU added another tally with a run in the seventh, the Cougars took a 7-3 lead to the bottom of the ninth. The first two batters were retired to start, but a two-out error off the bat of Royce Clayton, Jr. kept the inning alive. Matthew Kurata worked a four-pitch walk, but Cameron Calvillo went down on strikes next to end the game.
NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"Overall in the game, if you give up 16 freebies to their offense, you're giving them two base runners an inning and that's going to be tough for anyone to overcome. Actually, I'm surprised we overcame it as much as we did. Offensively, they pitched well. They kept the ball at the bottom of the zone. They were consistent and kept us off balanced and we really did not have an answer for them. I still like the way Colton Boardman plays. He was the only one with the guts to break up the no hitter with the bunt, I like him for that. Matty Pena gave us a little bit of life and there wasn't much life to it. We're going to keep rotating in until we figure out who wants to compete."
UP NEXT
CSUN looks to take the series finale from BYU as the teams play game three of their weekend series on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Live stats will be provided for the game.
#GoMatadors
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HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second straight day, BYU scored early against Matador starting pitching. After scoring six runs in the top of the first on Thursday, BYU scored six runs over the first four innings on Friday to build a big lead. In the second, Cooper Vest led off with a solo home run before the next two batters reached safely. Brock Watkins drove in another run on a groundout and Crew McChesney came through with a two-out infield single for a 3-0 lead.
Bryker Hurdsman added to the lead with a one-out RBI double in the third while two more runs came around to score in the fourth without any hits recorded. In the fourth, three hit batters and a walk contributed to a run and another scored on a fielder's choice, putting CSUN in a 6-0 hole.
Meanwhile, the Matadors were unable figure out BYU starter Jayden Harris who no-hit CSUN threw 4.1 innings. CSUN would manage to strand five base runners over the first four innings with Harris issuing four walks. CSUN left two base runners in the third and fourth innings against Harris.
In the fifth, CSUN would battle back and finally break through in the hit column. A leadoff walk from Andrew Becker would set the table before Colton Boardman broke up the no-hitter with a bunt single. Moments later, Pena blasted a three-run homer to right to pull CSUN to within 6-3.
However, BYU's bullpen took control beginning in the sixth. Justis Reiser struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth, beginning a stretch of nine straight batters retired.
After BYU added another tally with a run in the seventh, the Cougars took a 7-3 lead to the bottom of the ninth. The first two batters were retired to start, but a two-out error off the bat of Royce Clayton, Jr. kept the inning alive. Matthew Kurata worked a four-pitch walk, but Cameron Calvillo went down on strikes next to end the game.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN slips to 1-4 overall and BYU improves to 4-3.
- Diego Gutierrez earned the Friday start, tossing 3.1 innings and allowing five runs to go with four strikeouts.
- Out of the bullpen, Calix Armijo worked 1.2 innings, striking out three batters and allowing an unearned run.
- Hayden Hall also was solid out of the 'pen, working 1.1 shutout innings and posting two strikeouts while Logan Miller and Tyler Mejia tossed scoreless frames each.
- Boardman has hit safely in all five games this season.
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"Overall in the game, if you give up 16 freebies to their offense, you're giving them two base runners an inning and that's going to be tough for anyone to overcome. Actually, I'm surprised we overcame it as much as we did. Offensively, they pitched well. They kept the ball at the bottom of the zone. They were consistent and kept us off balanced and we really did not have an answer for them. I still like the way Colton Boardman plays. He was the only one with the guts to break up the no hitter with the bunt, I like him for that. Matty Pena gave us a little bit of life and there wasn't much life to it. We're going to keep rotating in until we figure out who wants to compete."
UP NEXT
CSUN looks to take the series finale from BYU as the teams play game three of their weekend series on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Live stats will be provided for the game.
#GoMatadors
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harris, Jaden (1-0)
L: Gutierrez, Diego (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Hurdsman, Bryker 1
HR: Vest, Cooper 1
RBI: McChesney, Crew 2 ; Vest, Cooper 2 ; Anderson, Luke 1 ; Hurdsman, Bryker 1 ; Watkins, Brock 1
SH: McChesney, Crew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Robinson, Ryder 1 ; Jones, Easton 1 ; Vest, Cooper 1 ; Anderson, Luke 1 ; Hurdsman, Bryker 1 ; McNaughton, Ezra 1 ; Goff, Parker 1
SB: Vest, Cooper 1 ; Anderson, Luke 1 ; Hurdsman, Bryker 1 ; McNaughton, Ezra 1
HBP: Robinson, Ryder 1 ; Vest, Cooper 1 ; Watkins, Brock 1 ; Goff, Parker 1
Batting:
HR: Pena, Matthew 1
RBI: Pena, Matthew 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Boardman, Colton 1 ; Pena, Matthew 1 ; Becker, Andrew 1
HBP: Panganiban, Kyle 1
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RBI
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AB
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H
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RBI
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AB
1
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
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