CSUN Bounces Back with 11-9 Win at Fresno State

Tuesday, March 17

Fresno, Calif.

6:05 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

11-9

Fresno State

7-12

CSUN

Fresno State

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Bounces Back with 11-9 Win at Fresno State

3/17/2026 10:02:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

FRESNO, Calif.---CSUN Baseball collected 16 hits and six RBI from freshman Vaughn Coleman in an 11-9 victory over Fresno State on Tuesday at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium. Coleman belted two home runs in a 3-for-3 day at the plate while Mateo Rickman and Colton Boardman totaled three hits apiece. All nine Matador starters recorded at least one base hit as CSUN snapped a three game skid.

HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN wasted little time jumping in front in the top of the first. After three straight hitters reached base with one out, Colton Boardman rifled an RBI single to deep right to put CSUN on the scoreboard. CSUN added another on a sacrifice fly from Matthew Cormier for a 2-0 lead.

The Matadors left the bases loaded in the first inning but kept the pressure on the Bulldog pitching staff throughout most of the night. In the second, back-to-back doubles from Will Linberg and Matthew Thomas produced another run. CSUN would then go ahead 4-0 in the third inning behind three straight singles, capped by a Cormier RBI hit.

After Jack Jones tossed a pair of shutout frames to begin the game for CSUN, the Bulldogs broke up the shutout with a solo homer from Caden Munster in the third. The Bulldogs eventually loaded the bases with one out, but CSUN escaped further trouble when reliever Charles Rogers retired two straight batters to end the inning.

Coleman would put the Matadors back into the scoring column on one swing of the bat in the fifth inning. Rickman set the table with an infield hit while Coleman delivered a two-run homer with two outs to extend to a 6-1 lead.

The Bulldogs though kept battling back, plating two runs each in the fifth and sixth innings to pull to within 6-5. CSUN would get a key out to end the sixth when Logan Miller struck out Brady Hewitt, maintaining the one-run lead.

In the seventh, the Matadors created more breathing room by plating two more runs. Boardman made it a 7-5 game with an RBI single and Coleman knocked in another with a sacrifice fly. Coleman though was far from done at the plate. The Matadors threatened in the ninth with two runners on base and two outs for Coleman. The freshman proceeded to hammer a 0-1 pitch over the left field fence for a three-run homer and an 11-5 CSUN lead.

Down to their last at bat, the Bulldogs put together a late rally in the bottom of the ninth. All with two outs, the Bulldogs collected a two-run single from Sky Collins, an RBI double from Marcus Nolen and an RBI single from Munster to pull to within 11-9. CSUN though finally shut the door when Jaiden Turner retired Ethan Payne on a flyout to end the ballgame.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN improves to 11-9 overall while Fresno State slips to 7-12.
Kody King was credited with the win after tossing two shutout innings over the seventh and eighth innings. He also finished with two strikeouts.
Jones started his first career game for CSUN on the mound, pitching 2.1 innings and allowing one run.
Coleman's six RBI set a new season high while he reached base four times on the night.
Both Andrew Becker and Rickman scored three runs each.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"Our freshmen showed out today offensively, providing the spark and the RBIs. Great outings from Logan Miller and Kody King to stop their rallies in a high scoring game made all the difference."

UP NEXT
CSUN resumes Big West play with a road series at Cal State Fullerton this weekend. The opener is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+.

#GoMatadors