April 19, 2005

Box Score

(Northridge, CA) - Cal State Northridge snapped a 10-game losing streak by edging visiting San Diego 13-12 in ten innings Tuesday at CSUN's Matador Field. The Toreros were playing its first mid-week game in over a month. A road date with No. 2 Cal State Fullerton on May 17th will conclude San Diego's non-conference schedule.

San Diego (24-19-1) will travel to the Northwest this weekend for a three-game West Coast Conference (WCC) series with the Portland Pilots (12-23). All three games with Portland will be aired live on www.usdtoreros.com.

as reported by CSUN Sports Information...

A see-saw battle that had each team rally back from a late deficit eventually was decided in extra innings as Cal State Northridge (13-20-1) scored in the bottom of the 10th to defeat San Diego (24-19-1) on Tuesday afternoon at Matador Field. Johnny Coit singled in Raymond Ravago with one out in the 10th to help CSUN end its 10-game losing streak.

After San Diego tied up the game with one run in the ninth, the two teams each had chances to go ahead before Northridge pushed in the winning run. Ravago singled to second base to lead off the 10th inning, putting a ball in the hole that took a bad hop on Keoni Ruth. Jeff Tezak followed with a sac bunt to advance Ravago. Coit, who had entered the game in the third inning, then battled Sean Warlop to a full count after fouling off several pitches. The Matador center fielder finally got one to his liking, slapping a line drive over the shortstop's head and into left center.

The Toreros had blown big leads early, but stormed back late to score four runs in the final three innings of regulation to tie everything up. Shane Buschini's two-RBI double with two outs in the eighth was actually unfortunate for USD as the ball bounced over the wall for a ground-rule two-bagger. If it had stayed in play, Randy Curtis most likely would have scored from first, but instead was stranded at third. The Toreros did get the tying run in the ninth off Joe Rocchio though. After a lead-off single, consecutive one-out base hits by Justin Snyder and Ruth drove in the tying run at 12-12.

San Diego scored eight times in the first two innings with Jordan Abruzzo doing most of the damage. He brought in two first-inning runs with a double and then cleared the bases in the second inning with a three-run home run. Buschini also added an RBI double and Ruth brought in a run with a base hit.

The Matador erased that lead, twice. CSUN exploded for five runs in the bottom of the first. An RBI single by John Voita and a bases-loaded walk to Paul Wilson set the stage for a bases-loaded double by Eric Hagstom to drive in three runs. Michael Paulk atoned for earlier striking out with the bags full with two monster home runs, a solo job in the third and a three run blast in the sixth to give Northridge its first lead at 10-8. The homers were the fourth and fifth for Paulk.

Rocchio improved to 3-5 with the win. He blew his first save chance of the season in the ninth by allowing the run, but worked out of an inherited jam in the eighth and retired the side in order in the 10th. Sean Warlop took the loss, allowing one run in 2.1 innings.

Each team stranded the bases loaded in the ninth inning. After scoring the tying run, Curtis was intentionally walked and Rocchio got Steve Singleton to fly out to left. The Matadors then had a chance for victory as an intentional walk to Paulk gave Northridge the bases loaded with just one out. Worlop retired Wilson looking and got Hagstrom to ground out.

Alberto Quintana led all players with a career-best 5-for-6 day. After reaching on a fielder's choice/error in the first, he had a hit in the next five trips to the plate. Every Matador starter but Drew Aguailar, who was 0-for-1 with a walk before being replaced by Coit, had a hit as CSUN outhit USD 19-15. Abruzzo was one of three Toreros with three hits and drove in a game-high five runs.

The last three games between CSUN and USD have all been tied after nine innings. Northridge won 9-7 last year in the 10th inning on Quintana's walk off home run, and the first meeting this year was called a tie because of darkness in the 3-3 game.