THIS WEEK
Coming off a busy eight games in nine days, the Roadrunners (8-23) have a comparatively light week upcoming, traveling for a pair of midweek games. Tuesday, Apr. 14, CSUB heads to Cal State Northridge for a 3 p.m. match-up. The team will return to Bakersfield, then head out again on Wednesday, Apr. 15 for the second of four single-game meetings with UC Santa Barbara. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
LIVE STATS AND AUDIO
Live statistics, as well as web broadcasts, will be available for the Roadrunners' games at Cal State Northridge and UC Santa Barbara. Log on to gomatadors.com and navigate to the baseball schedule page to find both the live stats and online audio broadcast links for CSUB's Tuesday game at Cal State Northridge. On Wednesday, both applications can be found on the baseball schedule page at ucsbgauchos.com.
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCH-UPS
TUESDAY, APR. 14, 2009
CSUB: Brandon Van Dam (RHP)
CSUN: Paul Tremlin (RHP)
WEDNESDAY, APR. 15, 2009
CSUB: Mickey Jannis (RHP)
UCSB: Zachary Samuels (RHP)
'RUNNER RECAP
After coming “thisclose” in a 3-1 loss at St. Mary's and a 5-4 loss to San Francisco, the Roadrunners broke a 13-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over defending national champions Fresno State on Apr. 4. A pair of runs in the top of the ninth, including a Mick Gaston home run and a Brandon Boren RBI double, and a complete-game performance on the mound by freshman Jonathan Montoya sealed the victory for CSUB.
After a 9-2 loss the following day, the five game series with the Bulldogs moved to Bakersfield where the ?Runners claimed 17-12 and 4-3 wins to take the series 3-2. Freshman reliever Spenser Messmore pitched 4 1/3 innings of scoreless ball, striking out seven and allowing just one hit in the 17-12 win. Boren then continued his streak of late-game heroics with a walk-off RBI single to give CSUB the 4-3 victory.
The Roadrunners streak of eight games in nine days continued with a three-game series against UC Riverside. After dropping the first two, Bakersfield concluded play in thrilling fashion with a Jason Kudlock two-run walk-off home run in the 15th inning.
SCOUTING CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE
Cal State Northridge is 14-20 overall and 3-6 in the Big West Conference after dropping two of three against Cal State Fullerton this past weekend. The Matadors have won just one of their last seven games, a 5-4, 15-inning final that ended with a walk-off RBI single by John Parham.
Richard Cates leads CSUN with 54 hits, including 10 doubles and one home run, in 142 at bats (.380 average). Dominic D'Anna and Ryan Pineda have provided the bulk of the power to the Matador lineup, combining for 21 doubles and 15 home runs. Jeff Pruitt, meanwhile, is batting .240, but keep him off the bases or he'll hurt an opponent, having successfully stolen 19 bases in 20 attempts.
On the mound, Paul Tremlin will get the start against CSUB on Tuesday. The right-handed sophomore is 3-1 with a 5.83 ERA in 11 appearances, including two starts. He has recorded 25 strikeouts and just seven walks in 24 2/3 innings.
A BIT OF MATADOR HISTORY
While the first-year Roadrunners and Cal State Northridge have no prior history, CSUB Head Coach Bill Kernen and Assistant Coach Jody Robinson hold a strong connection with the Matador program. Kernen served as the head coach at Northridge from 1989-1995, guiding the Matadors through the transition from an NCAA Division II program to Division I. In 1990, Kernen guided the still DII program to the College World Series title game and a runner-up finish. Robinson joined the staff in 1991, the first eligible year as a DI, and he and Kernen led the squad to a 44-18-1 record, an NCAA DI Regional runner-up finish and a top-10 national ranking at season's end.
SCOUTING UC SANTA BARBARA
UC Santa Barbara is 19-10 overall and 5-4 in the Big West after winning two of three against UC Davis. The Gauchos are led offensively by Ryan Cavan and Marty Mullins who are hitting .362 and .358, respectively. Brian Gump leads all Gauchos with 37 hits and is 16-of-19 stolen bases, while Eric Oliver has provided team-highs of 11 doubles, six home runs and 32 RBIs.
UCSB's offense has powered its way to an average of 7.03 runs earned runs per game while the pitching staff holds a collective 4.87 ERA. The Roadrunners will face right handed pitcher Zachary Samuels on Wednesday. The senior is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA and two saves in 11 appearances, though Wednesday will be his first start of the season. He has 25 strikeouts while allowing 12 walks and 23 hits in 24 innings of work.
SERIES HISTORY
The Roadrunners and Gauchos met back on Feb. 22 in Bakersfield with the then-No. 30 ranked Gauchos claiming a 10-0 victory over the upstart Roadrunners. Mario Hollands struck out six and scattered four hits in eight innings for UCSB, who also used a six-run sixth inning to put the game away. Bakersfield's Kyle Richardson went 3-for-4 on the day, including a double.
MEDINA MUSCLES THROUGH
Along with Jason Kudlock's heroics in the Roadrunners' win over UC Riverside on Saturday, freshman Martin Medina played a huge role on the outcome as well. The freshman started the game at first base, moved to third in the seventh and then to the mound with one out in the 10th. He then went on to pitch the final 5 2/3 innings of the game, recording seven strikeouts and scattering four hits without allowing a walk or a run to score. He threw 77 pitches, 52 for strikes, and worked his way out jams in the 10th and 15th when the Highlanders had a runner reach third. He ended the first rally with a strikeout and the second with a fielder's choice ground out. In addition, at the plate Medina went 3-for-7 with two doubles and a run.
MONTOYA'S COMPLETE GAME
Freshman southpaw Jonathan Montoya pitched Bakersfield's first-ever complete game in a 4-3 win over Fresno State. He fanned seven, walked four and allowed just five hits for three runs against the defending national champion Bulldogs, picking up his third win of the season. Now 3-3 with a 5.73 ERA, the freshman has tallied 32 strikeouts, 33 walks and 52 hits in 48 2/3 innings.
TURNING A CORNER
It's been said that nothing in life worth having comes easy. And “nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.” ? Booker T. Washington.
The CSUB baseball team can attest to that, and as of late the payoff has been well worth the wait. Beginning with a dramatic 4-3 win over Fresno State in Apr. 4, the ?Runners have won four of their last seven, including two courtesy of walk-off hits. Over the past eight games, CSUB is hitting .299, led by Jeremy Rodriguez who is 14-for-33 (.424) with three doubles and five RBIs during that stretch. Jason Kudlock is batting .364 followed by Brandon Boren (.333), Joey Mills (.321) and Ryan McIntyre (.314). Martin Medina is .294 in the past eight outings, but his 10 hits have included four doubles, one triple and seven RBIs.
Defensively, the ?Runners collected their first error-free games last week. The first was in the 3-2 win over Fresno State and the second in the 10-2 loss to UC Riverside.
On the mound, CSUB has held teams to 5.33 earned runs per game in the past eight games. Leading the way is Medina who is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, Jonathan Montoya with a 1-1 record, 1.62 ERA and one complete game and Spenser Messmore who is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA.
ON DECK
The Roadrunners break from action until Tuesday, Apr. 21 when they host UC Santa Barbara in a single contest at Hardt Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. After the short homestand, CSUB heads to Reno, Nev., for a three game series at the University of Nevada beginning Apr. 24.
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Bakersfield's inaugural schedule was listed as the 29th toughest in the nation, according to a preseason strength of schedule ranking by boydsworld.com. CSUB has 21 games against 10 opponents ranked above them on the strength of schedule list, including No. 8 Cal Poly, No. 11 Pacific, No. 13 UC Davis, No. 14 UC Riverside, No. 16 Loyola Marymount, No. 18 UC Santa Barbara, No. 21 San Francisco, No. 22 Saint Mary's and No. 24 Cal State Northridge.
TOGETHER AGAIN
Bakersfield is the fourth school coaches Bill Kernen and Jody Robinson have worked at together. The two were assistants at Cal State Fullerton in the late 1970's through 1981. During that time, the Titans, who had just made the transition to Division I in 1975, earned five NCAA Tournament appearances, including two trips to the College World Series and a national championship title in 1979. They also teamed up briefly in 1988, both serving as assistants to former Titan Head Coach Augie Garrido, this time at the University of Illinois. In 1991, Kernen was in his second season as the head coach at Cal State Northridge, leading the Matadors through the transition from DII to DI play. Robinson joined the staff as an assistant coach, helping CSUN to a 44?18?1 record, the West Regional championship game and a top 10 ranking in the final NCAA Division I poll in its first season of DI play.
HARDT FIELD
Coming from the 99 Freeway (north or south) exit at Ming Ave. and proceed WEST to Haggin Oaks Blvd. (approximately four miles). Turn right on Haggin Oaks to Camino Media. Turn left on Camino Media. Turn right into campus on Roadrunner Drive and park in Lot E or I. Hardt Field is located west of Lot E.
TICKETS, PLEASE
Ticket information for all Roadrunner home baseball games may be found online at GoRunners.com or by calling the CSUB Athletics Ticket Office at (661) 654-BLUE.
NEED MORE INFO?
For all of the most up-to-date information about CSUB Baseball and all other Roadrunner sports, check out the CSUB Athletics Web site at: GoRunners.com.
