The Matadors led 4-0 through five innings until the St. Mary Gaels scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth to snap CSUN’s five game winning streak, losing 6-5 to the Gaels.
Junior pitcher Calvin Copping got his third start of the season. Copping lasted 5.1 innings, giving up six runs (five earned) and ten hits, while walking two and striking out 10.
He was dominant for the first five innings, as he had only given up three hits and struck out nine batters, but then the Gaels recorded seven hits and six runs off him in that costly sixth inning.
The offense got off to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth, thanks to a two-run double by center fielder Justin Toerner and an RBI sac fly by third baseman William Colantono.
Toerner, Colantono and left fielder Nick Blaser combined for six hits, three runs and four RBIs in the game.
Every batter in the lineup for CSUN recorded at least one hit, as the offense combined for 12 hits and four walks.
Second baseman Ryan Raslowsky extended his hitting streak to 11 games after he picked up a single in the top of the first inning. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and stole his team-leading fifth base of the season.
Down 6-4 heading into the ninth inning, the Matadors scored their first run since the fifth inning to bring them within one run after taking advantage of two Gael miscues.
Blaser reached first base on an error by the Gael short stop with one out. Two batters later, now with two outs, Toerner reached on a costly error by first baseman that allowed the Matador center fielder to move up to third base and for Blaser to score, cutting the lead to 6-5.
First baseman Nolan Flashman came to the plate with the tying run at third base, but he hit a groundout to the short stop for the third and final out of the game.
The Matadors will resume their series with the Gaels Saturday for the first of two games scheduled at Louis Guisto Field in Moraga. The first game is set for a 10 a.m. start time, which will be followed by game two at a tentative start time of 2 p.m. Jerry Keel (1-0) and Rayne Raven (2-0) will be pitching for CSUN in the doubleheader
