NORTHRIDGE- CSUN Baseball (12-13) opens the Big West season this Friday evening when the Matadors visit Cal Poly for the start of a three-game series.

Friday’s opener is set for 6 p.m. while Saturday’s game starts at 2 p.m. and Sunday’s contest begins at 1 p.m. All three games will stream live on BigWest.TV.

Probable Pitching Match-Ups
CSUN at Cal Poly
RHP Jarred Zill (1-4, 3.24 ERA) vs. LHP Wesley Moore (3-1, 2.11 ERA)
RHP Bobby Ay (2-0, 3.07 ERA) vs. LHP Isaiah Nunez (4-2, 3.62 ERA)
RHP Darren Nelson (1-4, 3.54 ERA) vs. RHP Blake Sodersten (0-1, 4.70 ERA)

The Matadors got back on the winning track last weekend in their final tune-up before Big West play. CSUN completed a series sweep of Santa Clara as the Matadors only trailed after one inning in the three-game series. In the opener, the Matadors erased an early 4-0 deficit, eventually scoring 10 unanswered runs en route to a 14-8 victory. Pitching would be the story in game two with sophomores Wesley Moore and Blake Schriever combining for a five-hit shutout in a 2-0 triumph. CSUN would take the finale by a 7-2 margin behind a 12-hit attack including six extra base hits.

On the offensive side, CSUN hit .316 as a team and outscored the Broncos 23-10 in the three-game sweep. Senior second baseman Kyle Barret went 7-for-14 in the series and drove in four RBI while sophomore shortstop Brandon Bohning scored four times and drove in four to go with a .357 average at the plate (5-for-14).

Moore will make his first Friday start of the season in the Matadors’ Big West opener against Cal Poly. The left hander has been outstanding throughout non-conference play, posting five quality starts and leading the team in strikeouts (37) and innings pitched (38.1). Moore is fourth in the Big West in ERA (2.11) while he is sixth in strikeouts and wins (3). Senior left hander Isaiah Nunez comes into his Saturday start with a Big West-best four wins to go with a 3.62 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 37.1 innings. Sophomore right hander Blake Sodersten (0-1) will make his sixth start of the season on Sunday as he holds a 4.70 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 23.0 innings.

In the Big West, Bohning and Barret are tied for second place in hits with 31 apiece. Bohning is also second in the league in stolen bases (8) and tied for fourth in home runs (4) with Wesley Ghan-Gibson while Barret is second in doubles (8), fourth in walks (14) and tied for eighth in home runs with Denzel Clarke (3). The tandem of Bohning and Barret are also eighth in the conference in RBI with 17. Three Matadors are batting above .300 led by Barret with a .323 average followed by Sean Skelly (.313) and Ghan-Gibson (.311).

The Matadors continue to lead the Big West Conference in home runs (25), doubles (42), hits (219) and total bases (346). CSUN is also second in stolen bases (33) and extra base hits (72).

Dating back to 1959, CSUN holds a 122-107 all-time series lead over Cal Poly. The teams have split their last four series with CSUN claiming seven of 12 meetings. The Matadors won two of three at home last season, winning the first two games, 5-3 and 10-7, before falling in the finale 5-4. CSUN has dropped the last six series at Baggett Stadium and seeks its first road series win since the 2006 season.

A Closer Look at Cal Poly
The Mustangs are 9-13 this season and 7-5 at Baggett Stadium. Cal Poly split a four-game series with Saint Mary’s last weekend in San Luis Obispo. Cal Poly went 30-27 in 2018 including 15-9 in Big West play for a second-place finish in the conference. Head coach Larry Lee is in his 17th season at the helm. As a team, the Mustangs are batting .242 at the plate while their staff is sporting a 4.10 ERA.

Sophomore first baseman Tate Samuelson leads the team in batting with a .329 average to go with 11 runs, 11 RBI and the Mustangs’ lone home run. Fellow sophomore, outfielder Elijah Greene is second on the team in hitting (.299) while junior outfielder Bradlee Beesley is tops in runs batted in (14) and third in batting (.261). The Big West leader in strikeouts (51), senior right hander Jarred Zill leads Cal Poly in innings pitched (33.1) and opponent batting average (.187).