CSUN's Furious Rally Falls Just Short in Wild Series Opener with UCSD

Friday, March 13

Northridge, Calif.

5:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

10-7, 2-2

UC San Diego

5-10, 1-0

UC San Diego

CSUN

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN's Furious Rally Falls Just Short in Wild Series Opener with UCSD

3/13/2026 11:21:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball rallied from nine runs down only to fall short by one run in a 17-16 loss to UC San Diego on Friday at Robert J. Hiegert Field. Colton Boardman finished 4-for-5 with four runs scored while Matthew Pena had three hits including two home runs and three RBI and Vaughn Coleman drove in four runs and blasted a homer in a 15-hit Matador attack.

CSUN scored 15 of its 16 runs over the last four innings, but UC San Diego scored two in the ninth and held on for the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED
In a game that featured a combined 32 runs, 30 hits and seven errors, the Tritons jumped ahead with three runs over the first three innings for a 3-1 lead. UCSD would pull away in the middle innings, scoring a single tally in the fourth on a solo homer from Nick Costello and another in the fifth on an RBI single from Alex Leopard. In the sixth, the Tritons batted around in a five-run inning with the big blow coming off the bat of J.C. Allen who hit a three-run homer.

Trailing 10-1 in the sixth, the Matadors fought back when Matthew Thomas hit a leadoff double and Pena followed with a two-run homer. CSUN later loaded the bases with one out for Will Linberg who drew a walk to force in another run. A Triton error off the bat of Andrew Becker allowed two more runs to come across, making it a 10-6 game through six innings.

Michael Crossland gave the Tritons a bit of breathing room with a two-run homer in the top of the seventh. UCSD would threaten further, loading the bases with two outs, but Matador reliever Logan Miller struck out Cal Elvis to end the threat.

CSUN again was far from done down 12-5. Pena led off the seventh inning with a solo homer while a Boardman double and Trent Abel single produced another run. Jehee Lee drew a walk to bring Coleman to the plate. The freshman would deliver a timely three-run homer to make it a 12-11 game.

Not to be deterred, the Tritons answered with three runs in the top of the eighth as Gabe Camacho and Allen had RBI hits. With the lead at 15-11, the Matadors forged yet another rally in their home half of the eighth. CSUN loaded the bases with one to start before Coleman drove in a run on an infield hit. Moments later, Linberg knocked in two runs with an RBI single and Becker squared the game at 15-15 with an RBI hit of his own.

CSUN loaded the bases once more with two outs in the eighth but could not come away with the go-ahead run. Seeing their big lead slip away, the Tritons went to work at the plate in the ninth, scoring twice more on a Camacho two-run homer.

The Matadors threatened one last time in the bottom of the ninth, scoring a run with two outs after Coleman reached on an error in left field, scoring Boardman from third base. Linberg stepped to the plate next, but was retired on strikes by Julian Cazares, ending the marathon four-hour and 35 minute game.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN drops to 10-7 overall and 2-2 in Big West play while UC San Diego improves to 5-10 overall and 1-0 in conference.
Linberg drove in three runs on just one hit while he also walked twice.
Pena's multi-homer game was his third of the season. He has now homered eight times this season.
Coleman's home run in the seventh was his first of the season.
Seven CSUN pitchers saw action in the contest. Traig Oughton began the game, tossing three innings and allowing four runs.
Miller, who retired one batter, was the only pitcher between the two teams to not allow a run.

UP NEXT
CSUN plays game two of its weekend series with UC San Diego on Saturday at 2 p.m. on ESPN+.

#GoMatadors

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CSUN Knocks Off Pepperdine 12-1 in Seven Innings

Monday, March 09

Jaiden Turner-Andrew Becker Big West POW 3-9-26

CSUN Sweeps Big West Baseball Awards with Becker and Turner Honored

Monday, March 09

CSUN Takes Series at UC Irvine Behind Seven-Run Eighth

Sunday, March 08

Next Event

UC San Diego

Mar 14 (Sat)

2:00 p.m.

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Cazares, Julian (1-0)

L: Voorhies, James (2-1)

UC San Diego

Batting:

2B: Allen, J.C. 2 ; Leopard, Alex 1

HR: Crossland, Michael 1 ; Camacho, Gabe 2 ; Allen, J.C. 1 ; Costello, Nick 1

RBI: Crossland, Michael 2 ; Camacho, Gabe 4 ; Allen, J.C. 4 ; Leopard, Alex 2 ; Costello, Nick 1

SH: Martinez, Trevian 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Potestio, Anthony 4 ; Crossland, Michael 3 ; Camacho, Gabe 3 ; Allen, J.C. 2 ; Leopard, Alex 1 ; Klepsch, Addison 1 ; Costello, Nick 2 ; Lanier, Delshaun 1