CSUN Takes Series at UC Irvine Behind Seven-Run Eighth

Sunday, March 8

Irvine, Calif.

1:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

9-6, 2-1

UC Irvine

9-7, 1-2

CSUN

UC Irvine

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Takes Series at UC Irvine Behind Seven-Run Eighth

3/8/2026 4:26:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

IRVINE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball scored seven runs in the top of the eighth, breaking open a tie game to secure a 9-2 win over UC irvine in the rubber game of the weekend series on Sunday at Anteater Ballpark.

Five Matadors pitchers combined to shut down the Anteater offense over the final seven innings. Matthew Thomas, Kyle Panganiban, Matthew Pena and Vaughn Coleman each drove in two runs in the victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN would turn to its bullpen in the bottom of the second inning with Lucas Alaniz taking over for spot starter Charles Rogers. The Anteaters greeted Alaniz unkindly with two runs after a pair of two-out singles from Efren Ortega and Frankie Carney,

After the shaky start, Alaniz righted the ship on the mound. The right hander proceeded to scatter two hits over three consecutive shutout frames as he racked up five strikeouts over his four innings of work.

The Matador bats would be silenced through the first three innings by starter Finnegan Wall, but CSUN managed to chip away at the lead over the middle innings. In the fourth, Andrew Becker led off with a single while Panganiban followed with an RBI triple to right field. Two innings later, CSUN manufactured the tying run behind two singles to start the sixth. Panganiban sacrificed both runners into scoring position for Thomas who tied the game on an RBI groundout.

After Matador relievers Kody King and Jaiden Turner combined to allow one just hit over two frames, CSUN finally broke the 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth by sending 11 batters to the plate. The big inning began with both Coleman and Will Linberg each drawing full count walks. Two consecutive hit batters forced in the go-ahead run before Thomas stroked an RBI single to left and Pena rifled a two-run single to right for a 6-2 lead. CSUN plated another run on an RBI infield single from Colton Boardman while Coleman capped the scoring outburst with a two-out two-run double to extend to a 9-2 lead.

Over the final two home frames, James Voorhies worked 1.2 shutout innings, capitalizing on a pair of double plays, and Logan Miler recorded the game's final out for the CSUN victory.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN improves to 9-6 overall and 2-1 in Big West play while UC Irvine falls to 9-7 overall and 1-2 in conference.
Turner was credited with his first career CSUN victory following his shutout inning of work.
Becker finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Thomas, Boardman and Coleman had two hits each.
Panganiban has now reached safely in six straight games. He also leads CSUN with 18 RBI on the year.
Thomas recorded his seventh multi-hit game and fifth multi-RBI game, both of which are team highs.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"I'm proud of how we pitched and threw strikes today. We minimized innings and played well defensively. I told the team that we don't win games or lose games based on one pitch or one play. It's a collective, so even when we don't execute, or miss our spot, you keep going and get the next pitch. I'm proud of how we finished the job today on the road and now looking for the next pitch."

UP NEXT
CSUN returns to Robert J. Hiegert Field on Monday for a non-conference matchup with Pepperdine at 5 p.m. on ESPN+. Ghizal Hasan will have the call.

#GoMatadors