Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

California State University at Bakersfield Athletics

Next Event

edgar barclay
Mark Duffel

Baseball

`Runners Remain at Home This Weekend

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – After winning three out of four games against Santa Clara at Hardt Field last weekend, the CSU Bakersfield baseball team will remain in Bakersfield again this weekend when it hosts Fairleigh Dickinson for a four-game series. 
 
Setting the Scene
This will be the first-ever meeting between the Knights and the Roadrunners.  Fairleigh Dickinson has played just five games to start the season because of various weather issues in the Northeast.  The Knights have a 2-2-1 record so far this year with victories over Seton Hall and Army.  Last year, Fairleigh Dickinson had a 10-37 record and was 1-26 in the Northeast Conference.  CSUB is 3-2 so far this year at Hardt Field and is coming off a series victory against Santa Clara last weekend.  On Tuesday, the `Runners were defeated by UNLV 6-1.   
 
Scouting the Knights
With just five games played in 2019, it's tough to get a beat on Fairleigh Dickinson.  The Knights started the year with an extra inning victory over Seton Hall and tied Dayton the following day.  Fairleigh Dickinson had a marathon day in North Carolina last Saturday.  They began the day with a 10-5 victory over Army and then lost a pair of games to Dartmouth to end the day.  FDU lost the first game 6-1 and fell 4-3 in 10 innings to the Big Green in the nightcap. 
 
Despite hitting .245 as a team, the Knights have five regulars with batting averages over .300.  Brad Levinson leads the way with a .417 average and Salvatore Monticciolo has FDU's only home run.  Monticciolo leads the team with a 1.096 OPS. 
 
On the mound, Chris Quijano has made two starts and sports a 2.79 ERA, while Bobby Pigozzi has a 4.15 ERA in two starts.  The Knights have a 3.14 ERA as a team so far this season and Joey Kosowsky has not allowed a run in three relief appearances.   
 
Pitching Matchups
Friday: Darius Vines (1-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. Bobby Pigozzi (0-0, 4.15 ERA)
Vines was the tough-luck loser in his last start against Santa Clara.  He struck out a career-high 10 batters in just six innings of work, but couldn't get any run support in a 3-1 loss to the Broncos.  The junior has thrown six innings in all three of his starts so far this season and defeated Cal for CSUB's first win of the year.  Pigozzi has made two starts this year and has yet to record more than seven outs.  He didn't give up a run in the season opener, but walked seven in 2.1 innings pitched.  Against Army, he allowed two runs on three hits in just two innings. 
 
Saturday Ethan Skuija (1-1, 1.80 ERA) vs. Chris Quijano (0-0, 2.79 ERA)
Skuija is the reigning WAC Pitcher of the Week after he dominated Santa Clara and threw CSUB's first perfect game since the 2017 season.  The junior stuck out a career-best 11 batters and has come on strong against a rocky season-opening start against Pepperdine.  Quijano has been effective, but has yet to be stretched out this season.  He's coming off his longest outing of the season, which was five innings against Dartmouth.  Against the Big Green, he struck out five and allowed just one run. 
 
Sunday: Edgar Barclay (1-1, 3.14 ERA) vs. Brendan Medoro (1-1, 4.00 ERA)
Barclay cruised through the first five innings of last Sunday's start, but ran into trouble in the sixth and allowed two runs to score.  The junior was used out of the pen the first two series, but has moved into the Sunday role.  Medoro will be making his second start of the year.  In his first, he took the loss against Dayton after allowing six runs on seven hits in four innings. 
 
Monday: TBA vs. TBA
 
Skuija Named WAC Pitcher of the Week
CSU Bakersfield pitcher Ethan Skuija was named the Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday after he tossed the first complete game for the Roadrunners since May 5, 2017 and beat Santa Clara 3-1 on Saturday.
 
The Canadian right hander allowed just one earned run and four hits in the impressive showing.  He struck out 11 batters and walked one in CSUB's first complete game since Max Carter went the distance against Northern Colorado.  Skuija retired the first 12 batters he faced in the start.   He earned CSUB's first conference player of the week award since Carter pitched the complete game shutout against the Bears.  In his first win of the season, he lowered his ERA to just 1.80 over 20.0 innings pitched, the fourth-lowest earned-run average among starting pitchers in the WAC this season.
 
He Gone
The Roadrunner pitching staff has done one thing better than any other team in the WAC so far this season and that is striking out opposing hitters.  So far this year, CSUB has struck out 128 hitters to lead the league.  UTRGV has 125 strikeouts as a team.  At the quarter mark of the season, the `Runners are on pace to shatter the school's all-time record.  CSUB's record is 386 set back in 2010.  Last season, the `Runners were second in school history with 377 Ks.  As a team, CSUB ranks 83rd in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings at 9.5. 
 
Two starters have done the bulk of the work for the Roadrunners.  Friday's starter Darius Vines has struck out 26 batters in 18 innings of work and Saturday's starter Ethan Skuija has put down 27 in 20 innings.  Skuija leads the conference, while Vines ranks second.  The duo also ranks 18th and 27th in the entire country.  Another newcomer Edgar Barclay has also been effective via the strikeout.  The junior has struck out 18 batters in 14.1 innings pitched.     
 
Veterans Leading the Offense
Despite all the newcomers to the CSUB baseball team this season, it's a trio of veterans that have sparked a dormant offense.  In the series against Santa Clara, senior designated hitter Ryan Koch hit .357 with three doubles, a home run and five RBI, including the game-winning two-run double in Sunday's win over the Broncos.  In the series, Koch slugged an impressive .785 and had 11 total bases.  Berkey was a terror on the base paths after reaching at a .467 clip. 
 
The sophomore second baseman was a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts.  Berkey had five hits in 13 at-bats over the four-game set.  Catcher Jake Ortega, CSUB's team leader in batting average (.345), OPS (.905) and on-base percentage (.457), continued his hot start.  The senior hit .333 against the Broncos, was hit by a pitch twice and coaxed a walk.
 
Ortega, Moten, Berkey and Carrizosa Crack Career Rankings
Seniors Jake Ortega and Isaiah Moten are making their way up the career rankings after just three-plus seasons as a Roadrunner.  Ortega is fifth all-time with 597 putouts.  Moten has seen time as a starter and a reliever on the mound, but has racked up 62 appearances in his career, which is tied for fourth in CSUB history with Jonathan Montoya and James Barragan.  Moten will need seven more appearances to reach third on the all-time list.  Hayden Carter, Garrett Nimmo and Spenser Messmore are the only pitchers in school history to throw more often than Moten. 
 
In a little over one year at CSUB, Evan Berkey and Daniel Carrizosa are tied for 10th in school history in assists.  Berkey began his freshman season at shortstop and Carrizosa started last season at third base.  Both players moved over one spot to shortstop and second, respectively and are one of the top double play duos in the conference. 
 
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Max Carter

#8 Max Carter

INF/P
5' 11"
Senior
Garrett Nimmo

#33 Garrett Nimmo

P
6' 0"
Senior
Evan Berkey

#4 Evan Berkey

SS
5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
Daniel Carrizosa

#5 Daniel Carrizosa

RHP/IF
6' 0"
Sophomore
R/R
Ryan Koch

#23 Ryan Koch

C/1B
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
Isaiah Moten

#28 Isaiah Moten

RHP
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
Jake Ortega

#33 Jake Ortega

C
5' 10"
Senior
L/R
Ethan Skuija

#37 Ethan Skuija

RHP
6' 3"
Junior
R/R
Edgar Barclay

#26 Edgar Barclay

LHP
5' 10"
Junior
L/L
Darius Vines

#24 Darius Vines

RHP
6' 1"
Junior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Max Carter

#8 Max Carter

5' 11"
Senior
INF/P
Garrett Nimmo

#33 Garrett Nimmo

6' 0"
Senior
P
Evan Berkey

#4 Evan Berkey

5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
SS
Daniel Carrizosa

#5 Daniel Carrizosa

6' 0"
Sophomore
R/R
RHP/IF
Ryan Koch

#23 Ryan Koch

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
C/1B
Isaiah Moten

#28 Isaiah Moten

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
RHP
Jake Ortega

#33 Jake Ortega

5' 10"
Senior
L/R
C
Ethan Skuija

#37 Ethan Skuija

6' 3"
Junior
R/R
RHP
Edgar Barclay

#26 Edgar Barclay

5' 10"
Junior
L/L
LHP
Darius Vines

#24 Darius Vines

6' 1"
Junior
R/R
RHP
California State University at Bakersfield Athletics loading logo