CSUN Takes Series Finale with Bakersfield, 9-5

Sunday, March 29

Northridge, Calif.

1:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

15-11, 6-6

Cal State Bakersfield

11-16, 5-7

CSU Bakersfield

CSUN

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Takes Series Finale with Bakersfield, 9-5

3/29/2026 4:44:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball received 5.1 shutout innings from Adam Christopher out of the bullpen and scored runs in six of eight innings to win the series finale with Cal State Bakersfield by a 9-5 score on Sunday at Robert J. Hiegert Field. Matthew Pena drove in three runs and belted his 10th homer of the season while Vaughn Coleman had two hits including his sixth homer of the year.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Matadors would fall behind first for the third straight day against Cal State Bakersfield. The 'Runners took advantage of two hit batsmen, an error and a a walk to eventually plate two runs in the top of the first. CSUN starter Traig Oughton would limit the damage though, striking out Dusty Vela to strand the bases loaded.

CSUN though wasted little time responding in its home half of the first. After the first batter was retired, Will Linberg collected a double and Kyle Panganiban followed with an RBI triple. Pena capped the scoring in the frame with a sacrifice fly to tie the game up at 2-2.

In the second, the Matadors took their first lead of the weekend series when Andrew Becker scored on a hustle sacrifice fly to shallow center field. CSUN went on two tack on two runs in the third inning on a two-out, two-run blast from Pena to right field for a 5-2 lead through three innings.

The 'Runners would battle back in the top of the fourth inning with a two-out rally. Oughton retired two of the first three batters of the inning, but a hit batter along with RBI hits from Devon Wilkes and Elgin Bennett tied the game at 5-5. CSUN went to its bullpen shortly thereafter as Christopher stopped by the rally by getting Nick Mascaro to popout.

Christopher gave the Matadors a big lift out of the bullpen, retiring eight of the first nine batters he faced to keep the 'Runners at bay.

Meanwhile, CSUN went back in front in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer from Coleman. After going in order in the fifth, CSUN went back on the attack in the sixth, picking up a leadoff triple from Colton Boardman followed by a RBI groundout by Becker. A Coleman double and a Trent Abel RBI single soon gave CSUN an 8-5 edge.

CSUB threatened to get back in the game in the seventh when Christopher faced a bases loaded jam with two outs. However, the senior right hander struck out Matt Dobson on three pitches to end the rally. Over the last two frames, Christopher faced one over the minimum as he struck out his final two batters to end the game.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN improves to 15-11 overall and 6-6 in Big West play while Cal State Bakersfield drops to 11-16 overall and 5-7 in conference.
The Matadors outhit the 'Runners 11-7. Bakersfield would leave 11 runners on base while CSUN left just five.
Christopher (2-2) struck out a season-high six batters while scattering three hits over his 5.1 shutout innings.
Pena extended his hit streak to team-best 11 games after hitting his home run.
Boardman, who finished with two hits, stretched his on-base streak to 12 games.
Matthew Thomas drove in his 22nd RBI of the season with a single in the eighth inning.
All nine Matador starters had at least one hit.
CSUN pitching collected 11 total strikeouts.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"I look at a couple things. I look at how ugly that first inning was and how we minimized the first inning. That was the key of the day. Being able to do that and respond with two runs set the tone for us, and I felt we were going to grind out nine innings after that. I was proud of how they responded and salvaged the series. This was necessary for us to do that because it was salvageable series, but we also have a lot to prove to ourselves that we still have consistent baseball to play and we've got to reach it.

"Adam saved us. He picked up our entire staff. He and Alaniz [on Saturday] really pitched phenomenal to give us a competitive edge. I'm really proud of the way he pitched, especially in front of his family and the home crowd."

UP NEXT
CSUN hits the road for a midweek matchup with Pepperdine on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN+.

#GoMatadors