CSUN Falls to UC Irvine in Series Opener - CSUN Athletics (2024)

• Summary
• Box Score

Connor Clark

Game Recap: Baseball | 5/23/2024 9:26:00 PM

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball took a one-run lead to the sixth, but No. 14 UC Irvine scored four runs over a three-inning stretch to prevail 5-2 on Thursday at Anteater Ballpark. Kenji Pallares tossed seven-plus innings, allowing four runs on four hits to go with five strikeouts. Jakob Simons collected three of the Matadors' 10 hits on the night.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Matadors would out-hit the top hitting team in the Big West 10-6 in the game while Pallares one-hit the Anteaters for five-plus innings.

It would be three consecutive CSUN singles in the top of the second that produced the game's first run. Andrew Sojka reached on an infield single to start then Ben Griffin singled to right and Shunsuke Sakaino came through with an RBI single up the middle for a CSUN 1-0 lead.

That lead was short-lived though as the Anteaters got a run across in the home half of the second without the benefit of a hit. Pallares walked the first batter and hit the next to put the first two batters on. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners before Chase Call delivered a sacrifice fly to even the game at 1-1.

Pallares though settled down after giving up the run in the second. After hitting Will Bermudez, Pallares began a string where he retired 14 consecutive Anteaters. In support of Pallares, Sakaino made an exceptional play on a diving stop to his right off a grounder from Jo Oyama in the fifth. Sakaino would quickly make a strong throw to the first base bag where Pallares made the putout to end the frame.

On the flip side, CSUN stranded two runners in the third and fourth innings before breaking the 1-1 tie in the fifth. Kamau Neighbors led off the inning with a double before coming around to score on a one-out double from Jarren Sanderson. The Matadors though settled for the one run after Nathan Barraza and Sojka were retired in order.

Pallares continued to cruise on the mound, retiring the first two batters of the sixth, but Caden Kendle followed with a solo homer to left to square the game at 2-2. From there, Pallares walked the next batter and gave up a double to Dub Gleed to put runners at second and third base. Pallares would eventually strike out Will Bermudez, but a balk moments before led to UCI taking a 3-2 lead.

The Matadors again threatened in the eighth after a leadoff single from Barraza, however he would be stranded at second base following Ricky Ojeda retiring three consecutive batters.

Pallares tossed a 1-2-3 seventh but ran into trouble in the eighth when the first two hitters reached to start the inning. Entering out of the bullpen. Blake Ignaciak walked the next batter but soon induced a 3-2-3 double play. Gleed though followed with a two-run single to stretch the UCI lead to 5-2.

UCI's closer Ricky Tibbett would nail down the save by retiring the Matadors in order in the ninth.

NOTES OF THE GAME

• CSUN drops to 29-23 overall and 15-13 in Big West play while UCI improves to 42-11 and 21-7.
• Pallares' seven-plus innings of work is a new season-high on the mound.
• Simons registered his 18th multiple-hit game of the season.
• Eight of the nine Matador starters had at least one hit in the game.

ACCORDING TO COACH EDDIE CORNEJO
"It depends in how we [approach offensively]. If we're taking good at bats and we're hitting the ball hard then that's all you could ask of the players. We can't force RBIs. We played seven good innings and that was the difference in the ballgame. Hopefully, we will have nine innings in us tomorrow.

"Kenji was aggressive in the zone. He was forcing contact and he had at least one other pitch for a strike. He was going for it and we couldn't have asked for a better start from him. He did great."

UP NEXT
CSUN continues its series with UC Irvine on Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.

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