CSUN Takes Series Opener at UC Irvine Behind Late Rally

Friday, March 6

Irvine, Calif.

6:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

8-5, 1-0

UC Irvine

8-6, 0-1

CSUN

UC Irvine

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Takes Series Opener at UC Irvine Behind Late Rally

3/6/2026 10:34:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

IRVINE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball scored five runs over the final two innings to erase a four-run deficit for an eventual 5-4 victory over UC Irvine in the Big West opener on Friday at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark.

Freshman Vaughn Coleman came away with the game-winning hit in the ninth while fellow freshman Mateo Rickman knocked in the tying run. The Matador bullpen allowed one run over the final 3.2 innings with freshman James Voorhies earning a win after two dominant frames.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Friday's Big West opener took the shape of a pitcher's duel in the opening innings.

CSUN's Traig Oughton would rack up seven strikeouts on the night, holding UC Irvine scoreless until the fifth inning. On the flip side though, CSUN could not muster any runs on Trevor Hansen through the first seven innings.

The score remained deadlocked at 0-0 until the fifth when UC Irvine took advantage of three straight singles to start the inning to eventually plate two runs. Oughton though limited the damage by striking out Landon Gaz to leave a runner at third base.

Still a 2-0 game in the sixth, UC Irvine finally knocked Oughton out of the ballgame with a pair of singles. Auggie Gutierrez, who was Oughton's final batter faced, added to the UC Irvine lead with an RBI single. After Oughton was lifted from the game, Kody King would enter out of the bullpen and end the threat with a pair of strikeouts.

After UCI added another run in the seventh, Hansen began the eighth by surrendering a leadoff double to Jehee Lee. With Hansen at 100 pitches, UC Irvine turned to its bullpen. Silenced at the plate most of the night, CSUN flipped the script against the UC Irvine relievers. Becker began the rally with an RBI single off Ryder Brooks, driving in Lee for CSUN's first run. Two batters later, Kyle Panganiban drew a walk to bring slugger Matthew Thomas to the plate with two outs. In what appeared to be the final out of the eighth, Thomas lifted a flyball to right fielder Frankie Carney, but a dropped ball in right allowed two runs to score.

Trailing 4-3, Rickman stepped to the plate next and delivered a liner to right center field to plate Thomas with the tying run.

CSUN broke through once more in the ninth inning, sparked by a leadoff single from Will Linberg. After a sacrifice hit, another freshman came up clutch for CSUN as Coleman stroked a single up the middle, bringing in the go-ahead run for a 5-4 lead.

The Matador bullpen took control in the late innings, limiting the UC Irvine offense to just one base runner over the final three frames. Cody Carson recorded the final three outs of the seventh while Voorhies struck out three Anteater batters and retired all six he faced to pick up the win.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN improves to 8-5 overall and 1-0 in Big West play while UC Irvine drops to 8-6 overall and 0-1 in conference.
Thomas recorded his 16th extra base hit of the season by doubling in the fourth inning. The hit extended his hit streak to eight.
Oughton finished with 5.1 innings pitched and three runs allowed on seven hits.
Caroson made his CSUN debut in the game, allowing just a walk in a shutout seventh.
Voorhies earned his second win of the season. He has now struck out a team-best 17 batters in 10.2 innings.
CSUN earned its first win to start Big West play since 2023.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
The minimized innings by Traig, Kody and Carson gave us a chance at the end of the game. Those little things are not little after nine innings. We played hard all game, we took advantage of a big miscue from UCI and had key performances from freshmen Mateo Rickman, Vaughn Coleman and James Voorhies. These guys don't play like they're young."

UP NEXT
CSUN looks for a series win on Saturday when it takes on UC Irvine in game two of the weekend series. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.

#GoMatadors