The visiting Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunner (8-11, 1-2 WAC) matched up evenly with the Matadors (8-14), and escaped Matador Field with a one run victory on Tuesday, 3-2.

CSU Bakersfield scored early, as a Roadrunner crossed the plate in the second inning on junior catcher Logan Trowbridge’s RBI triple that gave them a 1-0 advantage.

The Matadors contained the Roadrunner hitting until the top of the third inning when junior outfielder Andrew Lojewski plowed a two-run homer, bringing their lead to 3-0.

It seemed that the early deficit began to affect the play of the Matadors as a CSUN error in the infield lead to a CSUB runner on first base with two outs in the top of the third inning. The Matadors showed awareness as they caught senior infielder/pitcher Allan Gwynn attempting to steal a base and tagged him out at second-base to end the inning.

CSUN got on the board after junior second baseman Ryan Raslowsky hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning making the score 3-1. The Matadors began to get warm as CSUN’s true freshman catcher, Dylan Alexander made contact and hit an RBI double at a crucial time setting the score at 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Northridge’s junior infielder Michael Livingston crushed a grounder over second plate but Cal State Bakersfield center fielder David Metzgar doused the Matadors’ momentum with a deflating throw-out of Alexander as he tried to score a run that would tie the game.

Defense for the Matadors stepped up as they fielded fly balls to finish short eighth inning lead as CSUN put away CSU Bakersfield to stay close late. There simply was not enough game left for the Matadors to mount what seemed like an imitate comeback, going quiet in the ninth inning to fall 3-2.

The Matadors will have a quick turnaround as they enter game two of their homestand hosting Stony Brook on Wednesday.