Friday, April 11
La Jolla, Calif.
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
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UC San Diego
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CSUN
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UC San Diego
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Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Takes Series Opener at UC San Diego, 7-3
4/11/2025 9:37:00 PM | Baseball
LA JOLLA, Calif.---Sophomore Ryan Halamicek tossed his first career complete game as CSUN Baseball earned a series-opening victory over UC San Diego 7-3 on Friday at Triton Ballpark. Halamicek finished with seven strikeouts with only three runs allowed. The Matadors registered 11 hits in the ballgame with San Diego native Andrew Gauna blasting two home runs and driving in three.
HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN would fall behind early in the second inning when UC San Diego took advantage of a two-out CSUN error to get Emiliano Gonzalez to the plate. Gonzalez knocked in the game's first run with a single, scoring the unearned run against Halamicek.
After surrendering the run, Halamicek found his rhythm on the mound beginning in the third. He would retire the side in order in that frame then go on to toss three more scoreless frames with the Tritons managing just a pair of hits over that span.
Meanwhile, CSUN quickly erased the 1-0 deficit in the third. A Triton error with one out opened the door for the Matadors who then received a double from Kyle Panganiban. Andrew Becker squared the game at 1-1 moments later on an RBI groundout. CSUN then received a big two-run homer to left field from Gauna to go ahead 3-1.
The Matador bats came alive again in the sixth inning as Gauna kicked off the rally with his second homer of the game. Trent Abel and Matthew Pena followed with singles, setting the table for a timely two-out hit. Colton Boardman would come through with a bloop single to left field that just fell through three Tritons trailing the ball. The single scored both runs, giving CSUN a 6-1 edge.
Halamicek cruised into the seventh inning still with the five-run lead, however, the Tritons got a run back on a Gonzalez solo homer. After the home run though, Halamicek bounced back to retire two of the next three batters to keep CSUN ahead by four.
Following another shutout inning from Halamicek in the eighth, CSUN added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Royce Clayton Jr. picked up a single in the inning and eventually made it to third base on an error and a wild pitch. With two outs, Becker legged out an infield single to second base, scoring Clayton to give CSUN a 7-2 lead.
Halamicek marched back out to the mound in the bottom of the ninth looking for his first career complete game. Fog in the La Jolla area forced a delay of about 10 minutes to the game, but Halamicek shrugged that off and continued to pitch. The right hander retired the first batter, but Gonzalez followed with his second home run through the fog in right field. Playing with a four-run lead, Halamicek bounced back to sit down Patrick Hackworth on a ground out for the second out. The sophomore would then strike out Michael Crossland to end the ballgame.
NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"Ryan showed great determination in the game and wouldn't let us take him out. It was a gutsy performance. Andrew Gauna had a great game in front of his home crowd. I'm proud at how we played a complete baseball game tonight."
UP NEXT
CSUN and UC San Diego continue their weekend series on Saturday with first pitch set for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
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HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN would fall behind early in the second inning when UC San Diego took advantage of a two-out CSUN error to get Emiliano Gonzalez to the plate. Gonzalez knocked in the game's first run with a single, scoring the unearned run against Halamicek.
After surrendering the run, Halamicek found his rhythm on the mound beginning in the third. He would retire the side in order in that frame then go on to toss three more scoreless frames with the Tritons managing just a pair of hits over that span.
Meanwhile, CSUN quickly erased the 1-0 deficit in the third. A Triton error with one out opened the door for the Matadors who then received a double from Kyle Panganiban. Andrew Becker squared the game at 1-1 moments later on an RBI groundout. CSUN then received a big two-run homer to left field from Gauna to go ahead 3-1.
The Matador bats came alive again in the sixth inning as Gauna kicked off the rally with his second homer of the game. Trent Abel and Matthew Pena followed with singles, setting the table for a timely two-out hit. Colton Boardman would come through with a bloop single to left field that just fell through three Tritons trailing the ball. The single scored both runs, giving CSUN a 6-1 edge.
Halamicek cruised into the seventh inning still with the five-run lead, however, the Tritons got a run back on a Gonzalez solo homer. After the home run though, Halamicek bounced back to retire two of the next three batters to keep CSUN ahead by four.
Following another shutout inning from Halamicek in the eighth, CSUN added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Royce Clayton Jr. picked up a single in the inning and eventually made it to third base on an error and a wild pitch. With two outs, Becker legged out an infield single to second base, scoring Clayton to give CSUN a 7-2 lead.
Halamicek marched back out to the mound in the bottom of the ninth looking for his first career complete game. Fog in the La Jolla area forced a delay of about 10 minutes to the game, but Halamicek shrugged that off and continued to pitch. The right hander retired the first batter, but Gonzalez followed with his second home run through the fog in right field. Playing with a four-run lead, Halamicek bounced back to sit down Patrick Hackworth on a ground out for the second out. The sophomore would then strike out Michael Crossland to end the ballgame.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 8-21 overall and 4-12 in Big West play while UC San Diego slips to 14-18 overall and 5-8 in conference.
- Halamicek's complete game is the first by a Matador pitcher since Blaine Traxel in 2022.
- Abel extended his hit streak to 12 games after going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
- Gauna's multi-home run game is the first of his CSUN career.
- All nine Matador starters recorded a hit in the contest.
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"Ryan showed great determination in the game and wouldn't let us take him out. It was a gutsy performance. Andrew Gauna had a great game in front of his home crowd. I'm proud at how we played a complete baseball game tonight."
UP NEXT
CSUN and UC San Diego continue their weekend series on Saturday with first pitch set for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Halamicek, Ryan (2-3)
L: Dalquist, Matthew (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Gonzalez, Roberto 1 ; Panganiban, Kyle 1
HR: Gauna, Andrew 2
RBI: Becker, Andrew 2 ; Gauna, Andrew 3 ; Boardman, Colton 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Gonzalez, Roberto 1 ; Clayton, Jr., Royce 1 ; Panganiban, Kyle 1 ; Gauna, Andrew 2 ; Abel, Trent 1 ; Pena, Matthew 1
SB: Becker, Andrew 1 ; Pena, Matthew 1
HBP: Gauna, Andrew 1
PO: Gonzalez, Roberto 1
Batting:
2B: Lomanto, Colton 1
HR: Gonzalez, Emiliano 2
RBI: Gonzalez, Emiliano 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Camacho, Gabe 1 ; Gonzalez, Emiliano 2
HBP: Camacho, Gabe 1 ; Allen, J.C. 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
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