CSUN Takes Series Opener from Long Beach State Behind Hernandez's Gem

Thursday, April 2

Northridge, Calif.

5:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

16-12, 7-6

Long Beach State

9-19, 4-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Long Beach St.	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	6	0
CSUN	0	2	0	1	3	1	0	0	X	7	13	0

Photo by: Bella A Enriquez

CSUN Takes Series Opener from Long Beach State Behind Hernandez's Gem

4/2/2026 8:46:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Gabriel Hernandez tossed eight quality innings, allowing two runs as CSUN took Thursday's series opener with Long Beach State by a 7-2 score at Robert J. Hiegert Field. Matthew Pena smacked his 11th homer of the season and finished with three RBI while Matthew Thomas and Matthew Cormier had three hits apiece in the victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN picked up strong work from Hernandez in the early innings as the right hander blanked the Dirtbags through the first four frames. Long Beach State lined into a double play to end the first inning as Trent Abel gathered the liner and began the 6-3 twin killing. Hernandez tossed a 1-2-3 second inning and pitched around a one-out hit in the third. In the fourth, Long Beach State picked up a leadoff single, but the runner was later erased on a 6-3 double play.

Meanwhile, CSUN broke through in the scoring column in the bottom of the second. Pena began the frame with a leadoff double while Cormier followed with a well-placed bunt single in front of the mound. CSUN later loaded the bases with one out for Abel who hit a sacrifice fly. Thomas capped the inning with an RBI single to right for a 2-0 lead.

The Matadors added a single tally in the fourth as Abel came away with a clutch two-out hit, plating Cormier with an RBI single.

The Dirtbags battled back in the top of the fifth in what would be the only blemish on Hernandez's stat line. The first four batters reached to start with Matt Toomey plating a run with an infield single. Hernandez would retire the next batter on a liner to second base before inducing a lineout to center field. A run scored on the out to center, but Hernandez kept CSUN in front by sitting down Jake Evans on a foul out.

The Matadors had a quick response in the home half of the fifth. Two straight one-out singles off the bat of Colton Boardman and Mateo Rickman brought Pena to the plate. The left handed slugger would unload on a three-run homer to right field, extending the lead to 6-2.

CSUN added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Rickman collected a two-out RBI double to left, bringing home Thomas.

After the two-run fifth, Hernandez settled down to retire the side in order in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. In his final frame, Hernandez struck out two Dirtbags before turning the ball over to the Matador bullpen in the ninth. Zach Johnson sat down Long Beach State 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth to secure the win.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN improves to 16-12 overall and 7-6 in Big West play while Long Beach State falls to 9-19 overall and 4-9 in conference.
The Matadors outhit the Dirtbags 13-6. CSUN left 10 base runners while Long Beach State left three.
Hernandez is now 3-2 on the season. He struck out four batters and scattered six hits on the night.
Matador pitching retired the final 13 Dirtbags in order to end the game.
Rickman also finished with two hits to go with a run scored and an RBI.
Abel drove in two runs in the ballgame.
Pena extended his hit streak to 13 games and his on-base streak to 14.
Boardman has reached in 14 straight games.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"Gabe filled up the zone with almost every pitch. He's pitching to contact even early on when Long Beach was hitting balls hard and to our defense, and he didn't stop pounding the zone. That was the emphasis for him and that was the biggest difference this week compared to last week, so he did a great job.

"We had some hard hit balls find holes early. Our dugout energy was exceptional and we kind of fed off it. If you had a game ball, you'd split it between Gabe Hernandez and the defense. Trent Abel turned a couple double plays. He made a diving play up the middle. Thomas came in on a line drive. Cormier caught the ball well. They hit a line drive to Boardman. The pitching and defense showed out today."

GABRIEL HERNANDEZ POST GAME COMMENTS
"I had a clean first few innings and got into a little trouble in the middle of the game. It's all about minimizing and trying to let few runs go through as possible. I know our offense is going to score.

"It's something I've been striving for, being better in later innings because I want to be one of those guys to go late in games and put up zeroes. I felt a bit stronger [late in the game], my stuff got a lot better. It's something [coach Paul Koss] talks about, getting stronger as the game goes."

UP NEXT
CSUN continues its weekend series with Long Beach State on Friday with first pitch set for 2 p.m. Ghizal Hasan has the call in an audio broadcast at GoMatadors.com/Radio.

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