The CSUN baseball team collected their third straight win after defeating Hawai’i 15-10 in the series opener on Friday night.

A major key in the team’s win was their ability to put the ball in play and get on base as they scored 15 runs on 16 hits and capitalized on the five errors committed by Hawai’i (18-6, 6-4).

CSUN infielder Roberto Gonzalez went 3-4 and was triple shy of hitting for the cycle.

“Just like passing the baton like coach said, you just gotta do your job, stay calm and then don’t try to do too much and things will fall [into place],” Gonzalez said.

CSUN starting pitcher Ryan Halamicek earned his first win of the season after going six innings, allowing eight earned runs, six hits, three walks and six strikeouts. He moves to 1-3 on the season.

Gonzalez started things off with a bang as he swung at the first pitch he saw and lifted a ball out to left field to give the Matadors an early 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Similarly, CSUN utility player Kyle Panganiban smacked a single on the game’s second pitch through the left side. Panganiban finished his day 4-5 with two RBIs.

“I think it’s a huge difference maker in the game [playing small ball], especially, you know, being aggressive 0-0, first-pitch especially. You know, just trying to be on time for the heater and it worked out,” Panganiban said.

With the Matadors up 3-0, CSUN first baseman/designated hitter Matthew Pena crushed a two-RBI home run to cap off a five run first inning.

Hawai’i outfielder Kama Nahaku drilled a two-out, two-run home run to get the Warriors on the board at the top of the second. Still, Halamicek was able to pitch a clean third and fourth inning while the Matadors added more run support in the bottom of the third.

An RBI single from CSUN catcher Matthew Kurata and a pair of doubles extended the Matadors’ lead to 9-2 heading into the fourth inning.

The Warriors scored six runs in the fifth inning, but it would be the last time they scored as Halamicek settled down to finish the inning.

“Yeah, I mean, it sucked, but the offense was able to pick me up, which is huge,” Halamicek said. “I knew that in that sixth inning,

we needed a zero, so it was huge to be able to get that zero, and they [CSUN offense] were able to put up some more runs.”

Halamicek still had some gas left in the tank to come out for the top of the sixth and worked his way out of a jam to cap off the top of the sixth.

“It just helped me have confidence in my teammates just knowing that no matter what, they’re gonna pick me up. There’s times I’ve had to pick them up so that’s how good teams are,” Halamicek said.

CSUN’s two-way player Tyler Mejia relieved Halamicek in the seventh inning. Still, it was a short stay as he allowed two runs before being pulled in favor of Logan Miller, who closed the inning without further damage.

Miller set the Warriors down in order in the top of the ninth to secure the win for CSUN.