The Seattle University baseball team earned its first victory of the 2011 season with a 9-0 victory over Cal State Northridge in game one of Saturday's doubleheader before the Matadors responded with a 10-3 win in game two of the twinbill at Matador Field.
The first game, set for seven innings, was scoreless until the fifth inning, as Trent Oleszczuk reached base on an error to lead off the inning, Bryndon Ecklund was hit by a pitch, and Michael Tevlin's grounder was misplayed by the pitcher to load the bases. Josh Kalalau hit a grand slam over the left field fence to give Seattle U a 4-0 lead. With two outs, Cullen Hendrickson walked, Jace Sloan singled to center field, and Nick Latta launched a long ball over the left field fence to increase the Redhawk lead to 7-0.
In the seventh inning, Latta drove in another run with an infield single that scored Sean Narby, who led off the inning with a double. Doug Kincaid scored the ninth and final run of the game when Oleszczuk sent a single to left field to drive him in.
Brandon Kizer picked up the victory, allowing just two hits and one walk in six innings of work while striking out four Matador batters. Nick Sours pitched a scoreless seventh inning, allowing just one walk.
Cal State Northridge (2-1) jumped on top in the second game with five runs in the first inning and a run in the second inning. In the top of the third inning, Latta doubled down the left field line, advanced to third on an infield single by Ecklund, and scored on an Oleszczuk sacrifice fly.
After the Matadors scored a single run in the bottom of the third inning, Narby led off the fourth inning with a single, and Matt Comer hit his first Seattle U home run, a shot to left field, to bring the Redhawks to within four at 7-3. However, Cal State Northridge extended its lead again with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, and neither team would be able to score again the rest of the way.
Seattle University (1-2) will look for a split of the weekend series Sunday, Feb. 20, in a game that has been moved up to a 12 noon start time. Seafth Howe is scheduled to make the start for the Redhawks.