After suffering another tough 1-0 loss in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, Seattle University took the early lead in game two, but the CSUN Matadors put together a big inning to pull ahead and complete the doubleheader sweep with an 8-3 victory in the nightcap at Bannerwood Park.
CSUN (7-1) scored the only run of the first game in the very first inning, as Chester Pak reached second base on a Redhawk error, advanced to third on a bunt single by Yusuke Akitoshi, and scored on a wild pitch. That would be the only run given up by Skyler Genger (Kent, Wash.), who allowed just four hits in seven innings of work while striking out six batters.
However, Seattle U could not produce any runs off CSUN pitcher Rayne Raven, who gave up four hits and two walks in seven innings while striking out 10 batters. Seattle U’s best chance of scoring came in the sixth inning with runners on first and third with just one out, but the Redhawks were unlucky, as a hit and run opportunity turned into an inning-ending double play.
In the second game, Seattle U struck first when Landon Cray (Chimacum, Wash) led the game off with a single. Griffin Andreychuk (Nanaimo, B.C.) advanced him to second with a ground out, and Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash) reached on a throwing error by CSUN, allowing Cray to come around and score.
The score remained 1-0 until the fifth inning, when CSUN opened up the scoring with five runs, only one of which was earned for Redhawks starter Ted Hammond (Shoreline, Wash.) due to a Seattle U fielding error. Hammond was chased from the inning and replaced by senior Kyle Doyle (Covington, Wash.), who hit a batter before giving up a single to Nick Blaser, but senior right fielder Colin Peterson (Bellingham, Wash.) threw out Albee Weiss at the plate to stop the Matador scoring threat.
After CSUN scored again in the top of the sixth inning, Seattle U fought back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI triple by Grant Newton (Bend, Ore) that drove in Andreychuk and Olson. However, a wild pitch brought in another Matador run in the seventh, and Seattle U failed to score off of CSUN reliever Andrew Weston, who gave up one hit and two walks while striking out four in three scoreless innings of work after replacing starter and winning pitcher Jerry Keel, who gave up three runs while walking three and striking out eight in six innings.
Hammond took the loss despite giving up only one earned run in 4 2/3 innings of work, while also allowing six hits, walking one and striking out five. Doyle, Nick Meservey (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Janson Junk (Federal Way, Wash.), and Chris Carns (Federal Way, Wash.) finished the game for Seattle U, combining to allow three earned runs on eight hits.
Seattle University (1-7) returns to Bannerwood Park on Sunday, Feb. 22 to finish their four-game series with the Matadors, with the first pitch scheduled for 12 noon.