CSUN Drops 6-4 Decision to UC San Diego

Saturday, March 14

Northridge, Calif.

2:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

UC San Diego

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Drops 6-4 Decision to UC San Diego

3/14/2026 5:06:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Sophomore Gabriel Hernandez pitched a career-high 7.1 innings, allowing two runs with three stirkeouts, but CSUN Baseball fell for the second straight day to UC San Diego, 6-4, on Saturday at Robert J. Hiegert Field. On the hitting side, freshman Mateo Rickman had three hits while Matthew Pena posted a pair of hits and his third home run of the series.

HOW IT HAPPENED
As they did on Friday, the Tritons struck first early against Matador pitching. Following a leadoff walk to start the game, Michael Crossland roped an RBI double for a quick 1-0 lead for UCSD. The rally though was stopped by a key double play as Hernandez struck out Gabe Camacho and catcher Jehee Lee threw out Crossland attempting to steal third base.

The Matadors would even the game up in the bottom of the second when Pena belted the first pitch of the inning over the left field fence. CSUN threatened later in the inning after one-out singles from Rickman and Trent Abel, but Triton starter Nic Gregson escaped the jam with two straight strikeouts.

In the third, the Tritons reclaimed the lead on the first pitch of that inning as well with Anthony Potestio going yard. Hernandez though bounced back to strike out the next batter and later induce an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

After erupting for 16 runs in the series opener on Friday, the Matador offense would be held at bay for most of the day due to stingy UCSD pitching. Gregson retired seven straight Matadors during one stretch while he pitched around hits in the fourth and fifth innings.

The Matadors finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth when Pena tripled to left field and Colton Boardman stroked a game-tying RBI single. Rickman would follow with a single of his own to put runners at first and second base, but the rally was slowed when Boardman was caught stealing at third base. Rickman eventually made it to second base on a wild pitch before Gregson retired Abel on a grounder to short.

The game remained tied at 2-2 until the top of the eighth when the Triton bats came alive once more. UCSD struck for two homers in the inning as Postestio broke the tie with a solo homer and J.C. Allen delivered a two-run blast with two outs. The Tritons added a single tally in the ninth, taking advantage of a wild pitch with a runner at third to take a 6-2 lead to the bottom of the ninth.

Reliever Connor Etnire retired eight straight Matador batters including the first outs of the ninth, but Abel kept the game alive with a base hit. CSUN went to its bench next, bringing Matthew Cormier to the plate. In his first career Matador at bat, and on the first pitch he would see, Cormier blasted a two-run homer to left center to pull the Matadors to within 6-4. A rally though was not in the cards as Etnire struck out Vaughn Coleman for the final out.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN drops to 10-8 overall and 2-3 in Big West play while UC San Diego improves to 6-10 overall and 2-0 in league action.
Pena has now homered a team-high nine times this season.
Becker, who went 2-for-4, has reached base in seven straight games.
Abel also finished with two hits and a run scored.
Hernandez's 7.1 innings of work is the most by a CSUN starter this season.

UP NEXT
CSUN concludes its weekend series with UC San Diego on Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN+.

#GoMatadors