Aztecs Toppled by CSUN on Tuesday Night, 8-3

SAN DIEGO – Playing the final game of its 2025 non-conference schedule, San Diego State fell to visiting CSUN by an 8-3 count on Tuesday at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

The Aztecs (15-35) were limited to two hits through the first 6 2/3 innings, as the Matadors (13-30) built an 8-1 advantage they would not relinquish.

Nevan Noonan collected two of SDSU’s six hits, highlighted by his sixth homer of the season, a solo shot to left-center with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

However, the Aztecs found themselves behind the proverbial eight-ball for most of the game, starting in the first inning when CSUN put up two markers on Kyle Panganiban’s RBI single and Will Linberg’s sacrifice fly. Previously, Roberto Gonzalez led off with a triple into the right-field corner, while Panganiban motored around to third following his hit and Andrew Becker’s single to left-center.

SDSU put two runners aboard in its half of the frame when Noonan and CJ Moran reached on consecutive two-out hits; however, Matador starter Max Mendes induced a groundout in front of home plate to escape trouble.

The Aztecs loaded the bases without a hit in the second when Zane Kelly and Xavier Farnum drew consecutive walks with one out, while Evan Escobar reached on a fielding error at third base. However, SDSU was limited to just one run after Kelly raced home on Finley Bates’ sacrifice fly, as Mendes out-ran Jonathan Smith to the bag on a tapper wide of first base to end the Aztec threat.

Buoyed by their good fortune, the Matadors began to give themselves some separation with a pair of markers in the third on Andrew Gauna’s two-out double to left, followed by Linberg’s run-scoring single through the left side. Earlier, Panganiban was hit by a pitch and stole second before crossing the plate on Gauna’s two-bagger.

CSUN increased its advantage to 5-1 in the fourth when Gonzalez reached on a fielding error and advanced to third on Panganiban’s single before sprinting home on a wild pitch following a walk to Becker.

The Matadors essentially put the game out of reach in the seventh, scoring three runs on just two hits and a walk while capitalizing on SDSU’s third error of the contest.

Becker walked to lead off the frame and advanced two bases following an errant throw to first on Gauna’s grounder to third. Moments later, Becker crossed the plate on Linberg groundout to second, while Gauna scored on Trent Abel’s single through the right side. CSUN then plated its final run of the night when Abel scored on Matthew Pena’s double to left.

Stymied for the previous 4 2/3 innings, the Aztecs broke their scoring drought in their half of the frame when Noonan crushed a 1-0 pitch from Matador reliever Hayden Hall over the fence in deep left-center field.

SDSU accounted for the final margin on Drew Rutter’s RBI single in the ninth, which brought home Bates, who walked and advanced on a wild pitch.

The teams combined to strand 22 runners on the night, including 12 for the Aztecs. In addition, both squads utilized six pitchers apiece.

CSUN’s Nicholas Santivanez (1-1) earned the victory after pitching two scoreless and hitless innings with a pair of walks in relief of Mendes (2 H, 2 BB, 1 R), who navigated the first three frames.

Conversely, Connor Shaw (2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB) was saddled with the loss in his first career start after yielding the Matadors' first two runs.

Issac Araiza struck out the side in the eighth inning, while Peyton Rodgers tossed a scoreless ninth to highlight SDSU’s relief corps.

UP NEXT
San Diego State will travel to the Silver State to battle Nevada this weekend in its penultimate conference series of the regular season, May 9-11, at Peccole Park in Reno, Nevada. All three games will air live on the Mountain West Network.