As recently as last month some players on the Cal State Northridge squad were talking about possibly competing for the Big West title this season, as the Matadors were in first place going into conference play. However, after dropping two of three this weekend to UC Davis (19-20, 4-8), including a 16-0 no-show on Sunday, Northridge (22-19, 4-8) now finds itsef tied for last place in the conference.

Sunday
The Matadors suffered one of their most embarrassing losses to date on Sunday. Their 16-0 loss was their second worst shutout defeat at home. Only their 24-0 home loss to Cal State Fullerton in 2005 was worse.

The Matador offense was held to three hits, two from Dominic D’ Anna. The offense appeared to be going through the motions as Aggies pitcher Scott Lyman looked like an All-American in picking up the victory.

The Aggies scored 10 runs in a span of three innings that gave them an 11-0 lead in the sixth inning. UC Davis was able to get the ball in play in almost every way imaginable. Singles to the outfield, bloopers, bunts, the Aggies even got a suicide squeeze.

Lyman was able to retire the side five times as the Matador offense showed no fight. The defense did not help itself as they committed three errors.
Head coach Steve Rousey and the Matador team did not want to comment after Sunday’s humiliating loss.

Saturday
The Matadors were at their best in the second game of the series, an 11-1 victory that featured a complete game performance from Matador pitcher Paul Tremlin, who struck out five batters in picking up his sixth victory of the season. Tremlin gave up just three hits over the last six innings.

The Matador offense provided more than enough offense for Tremlin. The Aggies got on the board first in the third inning when an RBI sacrifice fly by Seth Batty brought in Justin Andrade. From there, the Matadors did the rest of the scoring.

CSUN scored at least one run in the third through the eighth inning. Dominic D’ Anna hit a solo homerun in the fourth that gave the Matadors a lead that they would not relinquish. Ryan Pineda also hit a homerun, a three-run shot, in the eighth. CJ Belanger went three-for-five on the afternoon, with three RBI’s.

Friday
The Matadors fell behind early and were unable to complete the rally in Friday’s 9-7 loss to the Aggies. Trailing 5-0 in the third inning, Nate Ring started off the inning with a double. Ring was brought home two batters later on a sacrifice fly by TS Reed.

The Aggies responded with two runs in the top of the fourth to extend their lead to 7-1.  Justin DeMarco cut the lead to five with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth.

With the Aggies up 8-2 in the bottom of the sixth, the Matadors scored three times in the inning on back-to-back RBI singles by Dominic Piazza and Reed. The Matadors got another run in the seventh inning, making it 8-6, but that was as close as the Matadors got.

The Matadors return to action next weekend as they visit UC Santa Barbara for a three-game series.