Tuesday, May 6
San Diego, Calif.
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
13-30
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San Diego State
15-35
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CSUN
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San Diego State
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Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Takes Midweek Matchup at San Diego State, 8-3
5/6/2025 9:42:00 PM | Baseball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball held San Diego State to six hits while the Matadors picked up timely hits all evening in an 8-3 victory on Tuesday at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Roberto Gonzalez would break CSUN's school Division I record for triples in a season with eight in the victory. Also, Kyle Panganiban and Trent Abel had two-hit efforts and Will Linberg drove in three runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Gonzalez would set a new D-1 triples record on the first at bat of the game when he roped a shot down the right-field line for his eighth triple of 2025. Panganiban followed with an RBI single to center to quickly put the Matadors ahead 1-0. CSUN collected another single from Andrew Becker in the inning and later added a second run on a sacrifice fly from Linberg.
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On the mound, Max Mendes earned the Tuesday start and would have to pitch out of jams over the first two innings. In the first, the Aztecs collected back-to-back two-out hits before Mendes retired Daniel Arambula on a groundout. An inning later, Mendes issued two walks while a CSUN error loaded the bases with just one out. However, Mendes minimized the damage, allowing just a sacrifice fly to maintain a 2-1 lead.
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The Matadors had a response in the third inning with key two-out hitting. With Panganiban at second base and two outs, Andrew Gauna roped a double to left field to plate the run while Linberg followed with an RBI single of his own to increase the lead to three. CSUN picked up another run in the fourth via a wild pitch to extend to a 5-1 advantage.
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After Mendes tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the third, the Matador bullpen took over in the fourth. Nicholas Santivanez was the first out of the 'pen, tossing a season-high two shutout innings while scattering two walks. In the sixth, Jackson Banuelos relieved Santivanez and yielded two base runners but retired Sammy Kahler in another shutout frame.
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The lead would grow to 8-1 in the seventh inning after a Becker walk and an Aztec error set the table. Linberg drove in CSUN's sixth run on a groundout while Trent Abel came through with an RBI single. Following Abel stealing second base, Matthew Pena knocked in another run with an RBI double with two outs.
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The Aztecs got a run closer on a solo homer in the eighth by Nevan Noonan and another SDSU run came around in the ninth via an RBI single from Drew Rutter. However, Noah Rinehart retired three of his final four batters of the inning to shut the door on a CSUN victory.
NOTES OF THE GAME
"We passed the baton offensively with runners in scoring position and we were aggressive on the base paths. After a good start by Max Mendes, our pitching staff was able to steadily put up zeroes tonight as well.
"It was a special night for Rob Gonzalez by breaking the school record for triples in a season. Congrats to him."
UP NEXT
CSUN returns home this weekend for the final home series of the season against Cal Poly. The opener is set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN+ with Ghizal Hasan on the call.
#GoMatadors
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HOW IT HAPPENED
Gonzalez would set a new D-1 triples record on the first at bat of the game when he roped a shot down the right-field line for his eighth triple of 2025. Panganiban followed with an RBI single to center to quickly put the Matadors ahead 1-0. CSUN collected another single from Andrew Becker in the inning and later added a second run on a sacrifice fly from Linberg.
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On the mound, Max Mendes earned the Tuesday start and would have to pitch out of jams over the first two innings. In the first, the Aztecs collected back-to-back two-out hits before Mendes retired Daniel Arambula on a groundout. An inning later, Mendes issued two walks while a CSUN error loaded the bases with just one out. However, Mendes minimized the damage, allowing just a sacrifice fly to maintain a 2-1 lead.
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The Matadors had a response in the third inning with key two-out hitting. With Panganiban at second base and two outs, Andrew Gauna roped a double to left field to plate the run while Linberg followed with an RBI single of his own to increase the lead to three. CSUN picked up another run in the fourth via a wild pitch to extend to a 5-1 advantage.
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After Mendes tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the third, the Matador bullpen took over in the fourth. Nicholas Santivanez was the first out of the 'pen, tossing a season-high two shutout innings while scattering two walks. In the sixth, Jackson Banuelos relieved Santivanez and yielded two base runners but retired Sammy Kahler in another shutout frame.
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The lead would grow to 8-1 in the seventh inning after a Becker walk and an Aztec error set the table. Linberg drove in CSUN's sixth run on a groundout while Trent Abel came through with an RBI single. Following Abel stealing second base, Matthew Pena knocked in another run with an RBI double with two outs.
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The Aztecs got a run closer on a solo homer in the eighth by Nevan Noonan and another SDSU run came around in the ninth via an RBI single from Drew Rutter. However, Noah Rinehart retired three of his final four batters of the inning to shut the door on a CSUN victory.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 13-30 overall on the season while San Diego State slips to 15-35.
- Gonzalez's eight triples are the most in a season in CSUN's 35-year Division I history. Overall, only Jerry Libman has more triples in CSUN's entire history when he had nine in 1962. Jason Thompson also had eight triples in the 1975 season.
- Gonzalez has also reached base safely in 17 straight games.
- Gauna and Panganiban extended their hit streaks to 12 and 11, respectively.
- Mendes worked three innings, allowing two hits and an unearned run to go with two strikeouts.
- Santivanez was one of two Matador pitchers to not allow a hit as he worked two shutout frames with a strikeout.
- Also out of the bullpen, Banuelos tossed a hitless and scoreless sixth inning while Tyler Mejia logged a shutout bottom of the eighth.
"We passed the baton offensively with runners in scoring position and we were aggressive on the base paths. After a good start by Max Mendes, our pitching staff was able to steadily put up zeroes tonight as well.
"It was a special night for Rob Gonzalez by breaking the school record for triples in a season. Congrats to him."
UP NEXT
CSUN returns home this weekend for the final home series of the season against Cal Poly. The opener is set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN+ with Ghizal Hasan on the call.
#GoMatadors
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Santivanez, Nicholas (1-1)
L: SHAW, Connor (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Gauna, Andrew 1 ; Pena, Matthew 1
3B: Gonzalez, Roberto 1
RBI: Panganiban, Kyle 1 ; Gauna, Andrew 1 ; Linberg, Will 3 ; Abel, Trent 1 ; Pena, Matthew 1
SF: Linberg, Will 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gonzalez, Roberto 2 ; Panganiban, Kyle 2 ; Becker, Andrew 1 ; Gauna, Andrew 2 ; Abel, Trent 1
SB: Panganiban, Kyle 1 ; Gauna, Andrew 1 ; Linberg, Will 1 ; Abel, Trent 1 ; Pena, Matthew 1
HBP: Panganiban, Kyle 1
Batting:
2B: ARAMBULA, Daniel 1
HR: NOONAN, Nevan 1
RBI: BATES, Finley 1 ; RUTTER, Drew 1 ; NOONAN, Nevan 1
SF: BATES, Finley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BATES, Finley 1 ; NOONAN, Nevan 1 ; KELLY, Zane 1
HBP: KELLY, Zane 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
cf/rf
AB
5
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
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