CSUN Rallies from Seven Runs Down, Defeats Michigan in Extras 9-8

Tuesday, March 3

Northridge, Calif.

5:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

7-5

Michigan

6-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Michigan	0	0	6	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	11	3
CSUN	0	1	0	0	1	5	0	1	0	0	0	1	9	15	0

Vaughn Coleman Walk Off vs. Michigan 3-3-26

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Rallies from Seven Runs Down, Defeats Michigan in Extras 9-8

3/3/2026 9:49:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Trailing by as many as seven runs, CSUN Baseball rallied past Michigan for a 9-8 victory in 12 innings on Tuesday at Robert J. Hiegert Field. Vaughn Coleman collected the game-winning hit in extra innings, driving in Andrew Becker who finished with four hits and a homer. CSUN also picked up homers from Matthew Thomas and Trent Abel in the victory. The Matador bullpen held the Wolverine offense to no runs over the last eight innings, led by Jaiden Turner's 3.2 shutout frames.

HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN would take a 1-0 lead on a second-inning solo home run from Thomas. Matador pitchers Cade Barry and Charles Rogers combined to retire the first six Michigan batters to start the game, but the Wolverines broke through with a six-run third inning with five scoring with two outs, capped by a two-run homer from Cade Ladehoff.

The Michigan lead swelled to 8-1 in the top of the fourth following a two-out double from Colby Turner that plated two more runs.

After back-to-back rough innings, the Matador bullpen righted the ship starting in the fifth inning. Kody King, who escaped a bases loaded jam in the fourth, pitched a shutout fifth before handing the baton to freshman Gage McCown. In his first career outing, McCown would strike out two Wolverine batters and not allow a hit as he worked his way through a shutout inning of work, giving CSUN an opportunity to chip away at the lead.

The Matadors began to claw back into the game in the bottom of the fifth when Becker belted a solo homer to center field. An inning later, the Matador bats erupted with a furious two-out rally that began with a single from Kyle Panganiban. Thomas and Matthew Pena followed with back-to-back triples, cutting the lead to 8-4. Becker stepped to the plate next and hit an RBI single and Abel picked up yet another RBI triple moments later. After a pitching change on the mound, Mateo Rickman came off the bench, nearly tying the game on a double off the right-field wall to bring CSUN to within 8-7.

Two innings later, the Matadors came away with another clutch hit, this time off the bat of Abel who hit a one-out game-tying homer to right center.

Meanwhile, the Matadors picked up a huge lift from Turner who continued to hold Michigan scoreless in the late innings. The right hander took over with one out in the seventh and faced the minimum until pitching around a leadoff single in a shutout ninth. He also went on to strand the tying run in scoring position in the 10th inning.

Jackson Banuelos would also see action in extra innings as well, leaving two base runners on in the 11th and another in the 12th, keeping the game squared at 8-8.

Michigan escaped Matador rallies in the ninth and 10th innings but could not stop CSUN in the 12th. Becker began that frame by reaching on a hit-by-pitch while Abel laid down a successful sacrifice bunt to put the winning run into scoring position. Finally, Coleman stepped to the plate and delivered a drive to center field that sailed past Michigan's Greg Pace Jr. for the walk-off single.

VAUGHN COLEMAN WALK-OFF DOUBLE IN THE 12TH INNING.

CSUN completes the comeback from an 8-1 deficit in the 5th.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/396A69tUEc
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) March 4, 2026

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN improves to 7-5 while Michigan drops to 6-5.
Becker finished a triple shy of the cycle while he drove in two runs.
The quartet of Panganiban, Thomas, Abel and Cameron Calvillo had two hits each.
Abel's home run in the eighth was his second of the season.
Barry and McCown each made their Matador debuts in the game. Barry, who started the game, retired all three batters he faced.
Banuelos was credited with the win after working two shutout frames and picking up two strikeouts.
Thomas has hit safely in seven straight games while he recorded his sixth multi-hit game after going 2-for-4.
The walk-off win was CSUN's first since Shunsuke Sakaino hit a game-winning single against Cal State Bakersfield in 2024.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"It's the proudest moment of the year so far because everyone on the roster contributed to today's game whether it was guys coming off bench and guys coming out of the bullpen that normally don't go as long, and just the way we battled back.

"It was a unique day for the pitchers because everyone had to be used and everyone played their part, starting with Cade Barry making his debut to Gage McCown making his debut. Jackson Banuelos, who has been hurt, picked us up. Jaiden Turner threw two innings on Sunday and came back for another three and two-thirds. Overall, a really gritty performance by the bullpen. I'm happy that they showed themselves that they have what it takes to win."

UP NEXT
The Matadors set their sights on Big West play starting Friday as CSUN travels to UC Irvine for the first of a three-game series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.

#GoMatadors