With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Matadors (9-14) defeated the Stony Brook Seawolves (6-9) by scoring the only run of the game in walk-off fashion Wednesday at Matador Field.
In the bottom of the ninth after two successful Matador hits and with two runners on base, h sophomore right-handed pitcher Chad Lee entered the game. Lee then gave up two walks, one leading to the run that gave CSUN the win.
In the top of the ninth, after successful hits and having a runner at third base, the Seawolves came close to scoring the first run. Because of the promising situation, senior right-handed closing pitcher Shay Maltese came into the tied game. He took over the mound for the last two outs, striking out both batters that he faced and sending the game to the bottom of the ninth inning.
Maltese said that despite the situation he was put in, his approach was the same as to any other game.
“I go in and I really don’t look at what runners are on,” Maltese said. “I always go out and take my breath, pre-pitch, get the pitch, and I just make the pitch. Coach always preaches to make the pitches and that’s what I do. I was just trying to make the pitches that he called for.”
Junior left-handed pitcher Jerry Keel started in the mound for CSUN whereas sophomore right-handed pitcher Tim Knesnik started for the Seawolves.
Keel pitched for 4.1 innings as he faced 13 batters and recorded two strikeouts.
For the Seawolves, Knesnik pitched for five innings. He faced 18 batters, striking out two.
In nine innings, Stony Brook recorded three hits and no errors. The Matadors recorded the winning run, five hits and no errors.
Sophomore pinch hitter Nick Osuna said the game was tough for both teams.
“The pitching was good today,” Osuna said. “It’s one of those games were you just gotta fight through it. The team that executes at the end is going to win it.”
Regarding as to areas where the Matadors can improve on, he said the Matadors “are doing all they can right now.”
“It’s on the players,” Osuna said. “We got to execute when we are told to. We got to do a better job at doing our job.”
Head coach Greg Moore said both teams didn’t have much offense in them to create runs.
“Its just one of those games, nobody really had any offensive rhythm, nobody was able to get anything going offensively to create runs,” Moore said. “This park usually gets pretty hot on hot days,” he said, referring to recent high-scoring games at Matador Field.
He left it at that though, as he smiled when he said, “a win is a win.”
