BAKERSFIELD, Calif.--Cal State Northridge (16-28) outslugged Bakersfield (17-26) 9-8 Tuesday night at Hardt Field.

The Roadrunners opened the scoring with four runs in the bottom of the first. The Matadors responded with a tally in the top of the second. Taking advantage of two Bakersfield errors in the top of the fourth, the Matadors scored six runs for a 7-4 lead.

Bakersfield responded in the bottom of the fourth for the Roadrunners with a pair of runs to cut it to one. Allen Gwynn (R-Sr., Santa Paula, Calif., Ventura College) tied the game at seven with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth. The Roadrunners took an 8-7 lead with two outs when Max Carter (Fr., Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS) scored from third on a Louis Cohen wild pitch.

Alexis Mercado opened the eighth with a double to left. Brett Balkan reached on a bunt single to advance Mercado to third. William Colantonio singled to center to drive Mercado and tie the score. Ranny Lowe's sac bunt attempt was misplayed by CSUB pitcher Steven Gee (Fr., Taft, Calif., Taft Union HS) which loaded the bases. Ryan Waslowsky struck out which brought Chester Pak to the plate. Pak's sacrifice fly plated Balkan. Nick Murphy flew out to left for the final out. Bakersfield threatened, but stranded the tying run on first in the bottom of the eighth and again in the bottom of the ninth.

Carter led Bakersfield as he went 3-of-5 with three runs scored and a RBI. Chance Gusbeth (So., Lancaster, Calif., Desert Christian HS) was 2-for-5 with three RBI's. Soloman Williams (Jr., Long Beach, Calif., Golden West College) went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Mercado led the Matadors with three hits (3-for-5). Four Matadords recorded two hits for Cal State Northridge. The six CSUN pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts despite giving up 13 CSUB hits.

Bakersfield returns to WAC play this weekend at Northern Colorado. The three-game set begins Friday at 3 p.m. (MDT).

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