April 21, 2015
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - San Diego State fell behind by four runs early and was unable to come all the way back as it dropped a 6-2 decision at Cal State Northridge Tuesday afternoon. The loss was the fourth straight for the Aztecs, who saw their record fall to 27-15.
Northridge (24-15) took the lead in its first at bat as a double and hit batter were cashed in by Yusuke Akitoshi's two-out RBI single to center to give the Matadors a 2-0 advantage. Those runs came off SDU starting pitcher Cody Thompson, who would go 3.1 innings allowing four runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts. He would eventually be tagged with the loss to fall to 1-4 on the season.
CSU doubled its lead in the bottom of the third, loading the bases on two singles and a walk to set the table for Dylan Alexander's two-out RBI single to left center to make it a 4-0 contest.
Matador starting pitcher Joe Ryan, meanwhile, retired the first nine batters he faced in the game before Steven Pallares homered to left to open the top of the fourth and cut CSUN's lead to three runs.
Ryan would depart the contest after five innings having surrendered the one run on two hits with a pair of walks and seven strikeouts.
CSUN's new pitcher, Angel Rodriguez, was greeted with a single to center by Chase Calabuig to lead off the top of the sixth. The Aztec right fielder would steal second before scoring on Andrew Brown's two-out single to make it a 4-2 game.
That would be as close as SDSU would get, however. After Ty France walked with one out in the top of the eighth, the Matadors called on Conner O'Neil to close out the contest. The sophomore right-hander tossed the final 1.2 innings to notch his sixth save of the year. Ryan would be credited with the win to improve to 1-0.
CSUN added its final run in the bottom of the eighth on a base hit, walk and a pair of RBI singles for the final 6-2 score line.
Spencer Thornton was the lone Aztec to finish the afternoon with more than one hit as he recorded two of SDSU's seven hits on the day. Alan Trejo had the Aztecs' only extra-base hit in the game, a two-out double in the seventh inning.
San Diego state will now prepare to resume Mountain West play as it travels to Fresno this weekend for a three-game series against Fresno State set to get underway on Friday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m. at the Bulldogs' Beiden Field.