Coach Matt Curtis said one cannot hang on a loss for too long because the team has to get back out to the field and play another game.
“The first game was disappointing, but that’s the nice part about these double-headers is you don’t have to dwell on it overnight, you got to come right back out, you got to put it to bed and look forward to the next ballgame,” Curtis said.
The first-year coach added he was not happy to lose such a close first game and cited the team has to find a way to win the games when the offense is not getting the important hits.
“We took some good at-bats, lined out a couple of times and that’s just baseball on occasion. At the same time, we got to find a way to win those games when the ball is not falling, somebody’s got to step up and get the key hit,” Curtis said.
The Cal State Northridge baseball team took its first series of the season by taking three of four from the Valparaiso Crusaders.
MONDAY FINALE
The Matadors defeated Valpo 6-3 on Monday to take the finale of the four-game weekend series at Matador Field.
The series was extended to Monday due to the rain that loomed over the area over the weekend.
The game saw big performances from designated hitter Marty Bowen and freshman Miles Williams.
Bowen went a perfect 4-for-4 with four hits and three RBIs. Williams recorded his first career hit, a two-run home run to left field that broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning.
SECOND GAME
The Matadors (5-3, 0-0 Big West) came back out to win the second game, 5-2, after a heartbreaking loss to Valparaiso in the first game of Sunday’s double-header at Matador Field.
CSUN starter Jacob Petersen, ran into trouble and the Crusaders (1-6, 0-0 Horzon) took advantage.
Losing 1-0, Petersen loaded the bases with a walk and that prompted a pitching change. Alex Muren came in relief and pitched out of the jam to end the inning. Muren kept the Crusaders at bay for two one-hit innings and earned the win.
The Matadors came back in the bottom of the third to take the lead, 3-2, on two unearned runs and a sacrifice fly to center field by catcher Steven Keller.
Valpo’s Chris Manning recorded three hits and one run and Gaedele finished with two hits and an RBI.
Josh Goossen-Brown, who earned the save, said he was comfortable coming in with a one-run lead and knew his team would come through.
“It’s really important. One-run ballgame, just keep it close. I knew our offense would eventually get some runs; I was just waiting for them to do it,” Goossen-Brown said.
FIRST GAME
A pitching duel was in the works as CSUN starter Vincent Roberts and Valpo’s Tyler Deetjen went head to head.
The slim run differential proved to be the difference as Roberts gave up two runs to Deetjen’s one and the Matadors lost a close one, 2-1.
Roberts was not keeping his head down and said these things happen in the game.
“Not at all, it’s the game of baseball, it happens. It’ll happen, we just got to get in the groove and we’ll be fine, our hits will come,” Roberts said.
