CSUN Bounces Back to Even Series Against Western Michigan

Saturday, February 28

Northridge, Calif.

4:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

6-4

Western Michigan

3-7

Western Michigan

CSUN

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Bounces Back to Even Series Against Western Michigan

2/28/2026 9:02:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball pounded out six home runs, bouncing back from a series-opening loss to knock off Western Michigan 11-4 on Saturday at Robert J. Hiegert Field. Kyle Panganiban and Matthew Pena each homered twice while Matthew Thomas and Will Linberg also went yard on the night. Traig Oughton earned the victory with five innings of work and four unearned runs allowed.

HOW IT HAPPENED
A day after dropping an 11-1 decision in the series opener to Western Michigan, the Matadors nearly fell behind again on Saturday in the top of the first. Oughton allowed a hit and a hit-by pitch to the Broncos to start but managed to strike out the next two batters before retiring Connor Ostrander on a fly out to end the threat.

The Matadors then jumped ahead in the bottom of the first when Thomas smacked a 2-0 pitch over the center field fence for a 1-0 lead. The homer would be the first of six on the day and begin a stretch of four straight innings with at least one home run for CSUN.

After Pena blasted a solo homer in the second inning, CSUN knocked out Broncos' starting pitcher Joey Wizceb in the bottom of the third as Panganiban hit a leadoff homer. Following the pitching change, the Matadors greeted reliever Ty Tomlinson unkindly when Thomas doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Mateo Rickman. Pena stepped to the plate next and hammered another home run while Jehee Lee followed with a double. Linberg capped off a five-run inning with a two-run homer to extend the lead to 8-0 through three frames.

The Matadors added another three spot in the bottom of the fourth with Panganiban beginning the inning with his second homer of the day. Linberg added to his RBI total later in the frame with a two-out single that plated two runs for an 11-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Oughton faced just one over the minimum over a three-inning stretch to keep his shutout intact heading to the fifth. However, an error to begin the inning, coupled with a hit by pitch and a walk loaded the bases for Michael Maloney. In perhaps his only mistake of the game, Oughton served up a two-out grand slam to Maloney, putting Western Michigan on the scoreboard. Oughton would finally retire the final out of the frame two batters later to maintain an 11-4 lead.

The CSUN bullpen took over in the sixth and combined to toss four straight shutout frames. Zach Johnson followed up a strong outing at California Baptist last Tuesday with three consecutive shutout innings including stranding the bases loaded in the eighth. Jackson Banuelos tossed a clean bottom of the ninth, pitching around a single and a walk.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN improves to 6-4 on the season while Western Michigan drops to 3-7.
Linberg posted a career-high four RBI in the win.
Finishing with two hits on Saturday, Thomas' 12 hits this season have all been extra base hits.
Pena finished with three hits and three runs scored. His multi-home run game is the second of the season.
Panganiban also homered twice for the second time this year.
Lee has now reached safely in seven straight games after going 1-for-4.
Johnson struck out three batters and scattered two hits over his three shutout innings.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"The response today was good. It started with Traig getting a stop with runners on base in the first inning. We're a big momentum type of team. We like positive vibes and ride momentum and fortunately for us, we had it early to score enough to give us a bit of a lead. I would like us to be more relentless one through nine. There are still things we need to get better at, but I'm proud of the way they responded after yesterday."

UP NEXT
CSUN and Western Michigan play the rubber game of their weekend series on Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN+ with Ghizal Hasan on the call.

#GoMatadors