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Arthur Smith

Baseball Written by James Tsitakis-Cecil

CSUB Baseball Strives to Keep Good Times Rolling

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Cal State Bakersfield baseball team will look to continue its impressive play heading into quite possibly the toughest conference series of the season. In the Big West's top spot, Cal State Fullerton presents a particularly difficult challenge, but the Roadrunners are confident of continuing their strong run of form. After the road series in Fullerton, CSUB will come back home for another game against Saint Mary's (CA), with the `Runners looking to sweep the Gaels in the split-game series.

This Weekend's Schedule
  • at Cal State Fullerton
    • Friday, Apr. 21, 6:00 p.m.
    • Saturday, Apr. 22, 5:00 p.m.
    • Sunday, Apr. 23, 1:00 p.m.
  • vs Saint Mary's (CA)
    • Tuesday, Apr. 25, 6:05 p.m.
Quotes from Head Coach Jeremy Beard
  • "We've played the last two competitive series with quite a few close games while winning at key moments. We want to use the momentum of that success heading into this next series against a very good Cal State Fullerton team."
  • "We are trying to put all three facets of the game together right now: offense, defense, and pitching. If we can get two of the three done, then we have a chance to win a game. Now, if we can get all three done, and take advantage of our opponent's mistakes, then we can play the right way."
  • "We have two guys that grew and stepped up their game: Matthew Kurata and Matt Comnos. I think both of those guys have been consistent with what they bring to the table each series. I am very proud of their work ethic, especially when stepping up in key moments."
`Runner Notes
  • The `Runners have regained a foothold in the conference with steady play as of late. With five wins in the last seven games and series wins in the last two weeks, CSUB is in the best shape possible to face the Big West's best team at the moment.
  • Pitching has begun to settle into place for the `Runners, as Matt Comnos continues to dominate his starting appearances, while the bullpen has become more reliable with Tally Wright Jr. directly contributing to one of the walk-off wins against Cal Poly.
  • Jacob Gutierrez flashed brilliance in his complete game victory over Cal Poly, the first complete game from a CSUB freshman since 2016. He and Jacob Ruley took over the Cal Poly games, as Ruley enjoyed a breakout offensive series going 5-for-9 with two RBI, including one of the walk-off game winners.
  • James Bell has also continued his reign as CSUB's most consistent hitter, pacing the team with 36 hits, 11 doubles, 27 RBIs, and 53 total bases.
Scouting the Titans
  • Cal State Fullerton (20-11, 12-3 BW) is led by second-year head coach Jason Dietrich.
  • Despite sitting at the top of the conference, Fullerton's road to this point of the season has looked quite similar to CSUB's journey at times. The Titans struggled against a Big 10 opponent, Stanford, and Hawai'i, but there have also been differences as well.
  • Cal State Fullerton played two very close games against Pepperdine whereas CSUB blitzed the Waves in a historically offensive contest for the `Runners, while CSUB had a tough time against UC Davis when Fullerton swept the series against the Aggies.
  • With Cal State Fullerton leading the all-time series against CSUB with a 4-3 record, these three games with be a true indicator of how far the `Runners have come in their recent improvements.
Scouting the Gaels
  • Saint Mary's (15-17, 9-6 WCC) is led by fourth-year head coach Greg Moore.
  • The Gaels and `Runners played a single-game contest in Moraga, Calif. when the season was still young, and CSUB managed a 5-3 win. This time, in Bakersfield, the `Runners will be looking for the accompanying second win to defend their home field.
  • Since that first game between the two squads, Saint Mary's has experienced an up-and-down road, losing two-of-three games to Pepperdine, and dropping another to UC Davis before dismantling the Aggies in a 14-2 second game just two weeks later.
  • Saint Mary's is a well-balanced team with nine pitchers under a 4.00 ERA and seven batters over a .250 batting average. The `Runners will need to play sharp to take the second game between them and the Gaels.
How to Follow the `Runners
Season ticket plans and individual game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased on GoRunners.com/Tickets or by calling 661.654.BLUE or 661.654.GOLD.
 
~GoRunners.com~
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Players Mentioned

James Bell

#19 James Bell

C/OF
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
Matt Comnos

#29 Matt Comnos

LHP
6' 1"
Senior
L/L
Matthew Kurata

#8 Matthew Kurata

IF
5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
Jacob Gutierrez

#36 Jacob Gutierrez

IF
6' 3"
Freshman
R/R
Tally Wright Jr.

#23 Tally Wright Jr.

RHP
6' 1"
Junior
R/R
Jacob Ruley

#45 Jacob Ruley

OF
5' 10"
Junior
R/R

Players Mentioned

James Bell

#19 James Bell

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
C/OF
Matt Comnos

#29 Matt Comnos

6' 1"
Senior
L/L
LHP
Matthew Kurata

#8 Matthew Kurata

5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
IF
Jacob Gutierrez

#36 Jacob Gutierrez

6' 3"
Freshman
R/R
IF
Tally Wright Jr.

#23 Tally Wright Jr.

6' 1"
Junior
R/R
RHP
Jacob Ruley

#45 Jacob Ruley

5' 10"
Junior
R/R
OF
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