CSUN (11-14) was able to successfully hold off the Pepperdine Waves (17-7) for the win with a final score of 4-2 Tuesday in the Eddy D. Field Stadium.
Pepperdine was able to get on the scoreboard first. The Waves scored runs in the first and second innings, shutting down CSUN early with a score of 2-0 until the top of the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the first, sophomore second baseman Hutton Moyer opened the game with a single up the middle. After three batters and two outs, sophomore first baseman Brad Anderson stepped up to the plate and singled up the middle, bringing Moyer home to score.
The Waves struck again in the bottom of the second. First, freshman shortstop Michael Perri singled up the middle. Moyer reappeared and made his presence felt again by tripling to right field. His hit sent Perri home, giving the Waves their second run.
Northridge retaliated in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, freshman designated hitter Dylan Alexander, catcher Nick Murphy and first baseman William Colantono were all walked. In the blink of an eye, the bases were loaded.
Senior shortstop Brett Balkan stepped up to the plate and delivered a double down the line, bringing in Alexander and Murphy, who tied the score at 2-2. Balkan’s hit was a relief to not only the Matadors, but to himself as well.
“I’ve come up in a lot of situations this year with guys on base and haven’t done as much as I want to,” Balkan told Go Matadors.
In the top of the sixth, the Matadors looked to score a run that would give them the edge. With two outs in the inning, Colantono was hit by a pitch.
On a balk, Colantono advanced to second. Balkan singled to second base, advancing Colantono to third base. Colatono would score a run at the hands of a throwing error at second base by the Waves.
The next batter that took the plate was center fielder Ranny Lowe. Lowe doubled to right center, driving Balkan home establishing a score of 4-2 in favor of the Matadors.
But the Waves didn’t want to go out easily and looked to come back from behind in the top of the eighth inning.
After two outs, Anderson was hit by a pitch. The hit batsman began a rally for the Waves. After a single from freshman designated hitter Aaron Barnett, Anderson moved to second base. Sophomore infielder Devin Carter then came up to take the plate. He singled up in the middle and moved every runner up a base.
With the bases loaded, senior right-handed closer Shay Maltese took the mound for CSUN. Junior Wave catcher Kolten Yamaguchi took the plate and flied out to right field, getting the third out to send the game to the ninth inning.
Both teams went quiet in the ninth inning resulting in the final score of 4-2 in favor of CSUN.
