Thursday, May 15
Davis, Calif.
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
15-32, 0
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UC Davis
25-28, 0
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CSUN
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UC Davis
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Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Comes From Behind to Take Opener at UC Davis, 3-2
5/15/2025 9:17:00 PM | Baseball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Freshman Max Mendes pitched a season-high seven quality innings with two runs allowed while CSUN Baseball rallied from a two-run deficit for a 3-2 win in the series opener against UC Davis on Thursday at Dobbins Stadium. On the offensive side, Matthew Pena finished with three hits and Xavier Rios drove in two of the three runs including belting his fourth homer of the season. Will Linberg came away with the game-winning hit in the seventh.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After tossing a 1-2-3 bottom of the first inning, Mendes would make seemingly his only mistake of the entire game in the top of the second. With a runner at first base and two outs, Korey Williams unloaded on a two-run homer to left field to put the Aggies ahead 2-0. An error kept the inning alive, but Mendes kept his cool and retired Riley Acosta to end the threat.
From there, Mendes took control on the mound. Mendes would face the minimum over the next three innings as he received a timely 5-4-3 double play to end the fourth during that span. UC Davis would get the leadoff batter aboard in the bottom of the sixth, but Mendes stranded that runner at second base in retiring the next three batters. The freshman right hander also make quick work of UC Davis in the bottom of the seventh with a 10-pitch inning.
Meanwhile, the Matadors were kept in check offensively through the first four innings by starter Bryan Green who scattered four hits over that span.
In the fifth though, CSUN finally broke through on the first pitch of the inning when Rios hammered a solo homer high over the left field wall. The run began a stretch of three straight innings where CSUN scored a run. In the sixth, consecutive singles from Cameron Calvillo, Trent Abel, Pena and Rios produced the tying run. A double play would end the sixth inning as Roberto Gonzalez was called out on a close play at first base.
With the game tied at 2-2, CSUN collected another timely hit in the top of the seventh. Kyle Panganiban began the frame with a walk before Andrew Becker executed a sacrifice bunt to move the go-ahead runner into scoring position. The next batter would be retired, but Linberg stepped up to the plate next and delivered a clutch triple into the left-center gap, passed a diving Mark Wolbert. Panganiban touched home plate on the two-out hit to give CSUN its first lead at 3-2.
CSUN turned to Ryan Halamicek on the mound beginning in the eighth inning. The Aggies would get a one-out single in the inning before benefiting on a throwing error from Panganiban on a potential double play ball. Moments later, Panganiban got another chance as he fielded a slow-rolling grounder from Wolbert before starting a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play.
The Matador defense would turn another double play in the ninth inning, erasing a one-out base runner. The 5-4-3 double play off the bat Ryan Lee sealed a CSUN victory.
NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"I'm really proud of how Max Mendes finished his freshman year on a high note and got better as the season went on. He kept us close and elevated himself as a player. I can't say enough about Ryan Halamicek's competitiveness and ability to stay on task. We hit the ball well as a whole and didn't score many runs, but as the game went on, we got better. Our defense showed well also today."
UP NEXT
CSUN looks to clinch a series win on Friday when it takes on UC Davis in game two of the weekend series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
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HOW IT HAPPENED
After tossing a 1-2-3 bottom of the first inning, Mendes would make seemingly his only mistake of the entire game in the top of the second. With a runner at first base and two outs, Korey Williams unloaded on a two-run homer to left field to put the Aggies ahead 2-0. An error kept the inning alive, but Mendes kept his cool and retired Riley Acosta to end the threat.
From there, Mendes took control on the mound. Mendes would face the minimum over the next three innings as he received a timely 5-4-3 double play to end the fourth during that span. UC Davis would get the leadoff batter aboard in the bottom of the sixth, but Mendes stranded that runner at second base in retiring the next three batters. The freshman right hander also make quick work of UC Davis in the bottom of the seventh with a 10-pitch inning.
Meanwhile, the Matadors were kept in check offensively through the first four innings by starter Bryan Green who scattered four hits over that span.
In the fifth though, CSUN finally broke through on the first pitch of the inning when Rios hammered a solo homer high over the left field wall. The run began a stretch of three straight innings where CSUN scored a run. In the sixth, consecutive singles from Cameron Calvillo, Trent Abel, Pena and Rios produced the tying run. A double play would end the sixth inning as Roberto Gonzalez was called out on a close play at first base.
With the game tied at 2-2, CSUN collected another timely hit in the top of the seventh. Kyle Panganiban began the frame with a walk before Andrew Becker executed a sacrifice bunt to move the go-ahead runner into scoring position. The next batter would be retired, but Linberg stepped up to the plate next and delivered a clutch triple into the left-center gap, passed a diving Mark Wolbert. Panganiban touched home plate on the two-out hit to give CSUN its first lead at 3-2.
CSUN turned to Ryan Halamicek on the mound beginning in the eighth inning. The Aggies would get a one-out single in the inning before benefiting on a throwing error from Panganiban on a potential double play ball. Moments later, Panganiban got another chance as he fielded a slow-rolling grounder from Wolbert before starting a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play.
The Matador defense would turn another double play in the ninth inning, erasing a one-out base runner. The 5-4-3 double play off the bat Ryan Lee sealed a CSUN victory.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 15-32 overall and 10-18 in Big West play while UC Davis slips to 25-28 overall and 11-17 in conference.
- Mendes caps his freshman campaign with a 3-3 record after allowing just two runs on three hits to go with two strikeouts.
- Halamicek secured his third save of the season with his two shutout innings of work.
- Rios has homered in two straight games.
- Linberg stretched his hit streak to 10 games with his RBI triple in the seventh.
- While seeing their respective hit streaks end on Thursday, Andrew Gauna and Panganiban extended their on-base streaks to 16 and 15, respectively.
ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"I'm really proud of how Max Mendes finished his freshman year on a high note and got better as the season went on. He kept us close and elevated himself as a player. I can't say enough about Ryan Halamicek's competitiveness and ability to stay on task. We hit the ball well as a whole and didn't score many runs, but as the game went on, we got better. Our defense showed well also today."
UP NEXT
CSUN looks to clinch a series win on Friday when it takes on UC Davis in game two of the weekend series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mendes, Max (3-3)
L: Bryan Green (3-5)
S: Halamicek, Ryan (3)
Batting:
3B: Linberg, Will 1
HR: Rios, Xavier 1
RBI: Linberg, Will 1 ; Rios, Xavier 2
SH: Becker, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Panganiban, Kyle 1 ; Calvillo, Cameron 1 ; Rios, Xavier 1
CS: Pena, Matthew 1
HBP: Becker, Andrew 1
Batting:
HR: Korey Williams 1
RBI: Korey Williams 2
SH: Mark Wolbert 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nick Leehey 1 ; Korey Williams 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
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