California State University Northridge Athletics
Sunday, February 22
Moraga, Calif.
1:05 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
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Saint Mary's
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CSUN
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Saint Mary's
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Photo by: Bella A Enriquez
CSUN Drops Series Finale at Saint Mary's
2/22/2026 4:16:00 PM | Baseball
MORAGA, Calif.---CSUN Baseball was held to three hits as Saint Mary's took the rubber game of the weekend series 12-0 in seven innings on Sunday at Br. Ronald Gallagher Stadium. The Gaels broke open a four-run game in the fifth inning with a big seven-run frame to put the game out of reach.Â
HOW IT HAPPENED
A day after CSUN rallied from five runs down to take game two of the weekend series, the Matadors once again fell behind early on Sunday. Saint Mary's jumped on the Matadors with a pair of two-run homers over the first two innings. Jacob Johnson put the Gaels on the scoreboard with two outs in the first, taking starter Gabriel Hernandez deep with a two-run shot to left center. In the second, Makoa Sniffen followed with a two-run shot as well for a 4-0 lead.Â
Despite the two long balls, Hernandez kept the Gaels off the scoreboard over the next two frames, scattering four hits to keep CSUN within striking distance.Â
Meanwhile, the CSUN offense would be shut down by starter Jake Hilton. CSUN managed singles from Colton Boardman and Kyle Panganiban in the third and fourth innings, respectively, but could not cash in on runs against Hilton. Matthew Thomas connected for a one-out double in the fifth before Hilton retired two of the next three batters to keep the game at 4-0.Â
Saint Mary's would break out for a big bottom of the fifth against the Matador bullpen. The Gaels produced six hits in the inning including a two-run double from Brady Petit and another homer from Sniffen, this time a three-run shot. Two more runs later scored following a CSUN error as the Gaels extended to an 11-0 lead.Â
The Matadors would be retired in order over the final two innings while the Gaels hit their fourth homer of the afternoon, courtesy of Brayden Gutierrez, en route to a 12-0 run-rule win to take the weekend series.Â
NOTES OF THE GAME
CSUN concludes its road trip with a Tuesday midweek clash with California Baptist at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.Â
#GoMatadors
Â
HOW IT HAPPENED
A day after CSUN rallied from five runs down to take game two of the weekend series, the Matadors once again fell behind early on Sunday. Saint Mary's jumped on the Matadors with a pair of two-run homers over the first two innings. Jacob Johnson put the Gaels on the scoreboard with two outs in the first, taking starter Gabriel Hernandez deep with a two-run shot to left center. In the second, Makoa Sniffen followed with a two-run shot as well for a 4-0 lead.Â
Despite the two long balls, Hernandez kept the Gaels off the scoreboard over the next two frames, scattering four hits to keep CSUN within striking distance.Â
Meanwhile, the CSUN offense would be shut down by starter Jake Hilton. CSUN managed singles from Colton Boardman and Kyle Panganiban in the third and fourth innings, respectively, but could not cash in on runs against Hilton. Matthew Thomas connected for a one-out double in the fifth before Hilton retired two of the next three batters to keep the game at 4-0.Â
Saint Mary's would break out for a big bottom of the fifth against the Matador bullpen. The Gaels produced six hits in the inning including a two-run double from Brady Petit and another homer from Sniffen, this time a three-run shot. Two more runs later scored following a CSUN error as the Gaels extended to an 11-0 lead.Â
The Matadors would be retired in order over the final two innings while the Gaels hit their fourth homer of the afternoon, courtesy of Brayden Gutierrez, en route to a 12-0 run-rule win to take the weekend series.Â
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN falls to 4-3 on the season while Saint Mary's improves to 3-3.Â
- Logan Miller saw action out of the bullpen, recording a pair of outs while Ryan Ellis made his CSUN debut in the sixth, allowing one run.Â
- Panganiban, who went 1-for-3, extended his hit streak to five and on-base streak to seven.Â
- Hernandez finished the day at four-plus innings of work and five runs allowed to go with one strikeout.Â
CSUN concludes its road trip with a Tuesday midweek clash with California Baptist at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.Â
#GoMatadors
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hilton, Jake (1-0)
L: Hernandez, Gabriel (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Thomas, Matthew 1
Base Running:
CS: Panganiban, Kyle 1
Batting:
2B: Armstrong, Ian 1 ; Petit, Brady 1 ; Castellanos, Diego 1 ; Sniffen, Makoa 1
HR: Johnson, Jacob 1 ; Gutierrez, Brayden 1 ; Sniffen, Makoa 2
RBI: Johnson, Jacob 2 ; Petit, Brady 2 ; Gutierrez, Brayden 1 ; Sniffen, Makoa 5
SH: Griffith, Tanner 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Armstrong, Ian 2 ; Johnson, Jacob 2 ; Petit, Brady 1 ; Gutierrez, Brayden 1 ; Castellanos, Diego 2 ; Sniffen, Makoa 2 ; Allred, Nick 1 ; Mettam, Jared 1
SB: Mettam, Jared 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
cf/rf
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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RHP
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