CSUN Can't Hold Off UC Irvine in the Late Innings

Saturday, March 7

Irvine, Calif.

1:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

8-6, 1-1

UC Irvine

9-6, 1-1

CSUN

UC Irvine

Gabriel Hernandez vs. Western Michigan 3-1-26

Photo by: Bella A Enriquez

CSUN Can't Hold Off UC Irvine in the Late Innings

3/7/2026 8:57:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

IRVINE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball took a two-run lead to the sixth inning, but UC Irvine scored four runs over its final three at bats to edge the Matadors 4-2 on Saturday at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark. Kyle Panganiban finished 2-for-4 with an RBI while Gabriel Hernandez gave CSUN 5.1 quality work on the mound with one run allowed and five strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second straight day, runs would be at a premium in the early innings between the Matadors and Anteaters.

CSUN would threaten in the top of the second with the bases loaded and two outs, but UCI's Ricky Ojeda retired Vaughn Coleman on a fielder's choice. On the flip side, Hernandez kept the Anteaters at bay as well, stranding two runners in the second along with a runner each in the third and fourth innings.

The score remained 0-0 until the top of the fifth when the Matadors finally broke through against Ojeda. A walk and a hit batsman began the inning while a Andrew Becker sacrifice bunt and Matthew Thomas sacrifice fly produced the Matadors' first run. Moments later, Panganiban followed with an infield single to drive in Coleman for a 2-0 lead.

Hernandez cruised through a scoreless fifth, but gave up a leadoff single in the sixth. The Matadors went to their bullpen with one out, but UC Irvine broke out for a pair of hits against reliever Zach Johnson with the big blow coming off the bat of Tommy Farmer who doubled in two runs. Johnson managed to tip-toe out of further danger, retiring two straight batters to keep the game tied at 2-2.

CSUN missed out on a chance to score in the seventh as runners were on first and second base with one out, but reliever Tim Grack retired two straight Matadors to squash the threat.

Finally, in the bottom of the eighth, the Matadors bullpen would hit two batters and walk another, leading to UC Irvine taking the lead. James Castagnola scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch while Efren Ortega followed with a two-out RBI single for a 4-2 lead.

Grack shut the door on the Matadors with a 1-2-3 ninth to help UC Irvine even the weekend series at one win apiece.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN drops to 8-6 overall and 1-1 in conference while UC Irvine improved to 9-6 overall and 1-1 in Big West action.
Panganiban posted his fifth multi-hit game of the season while he has reached safely in five straight.
Jaiden Turner recorded the final two outs n the eighth, allowing a base hit.
CSUN was held to five hits, all of which against Ojeda.

UP NEXT
CSUN and UC Irvine play the rubber game of their weekend series on Sunday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.

#GoMatadors