• Kaleb Higgins resets Cal State Bakersfield's Division I single-game scoring record (35 points) and finished his collegiate career with 1,000 points in just two and a half years, but the Roadrunners came up short in their first-round battle against UC Riverside.
• CSUB earned the eighth and final seed at the Big West Championship,  continuing the program's streak of postseason play. The `Runners have not missed the postseason since 2011 when they were independent.
• Head Coach Rod Barnes and his `Runners finished the season with a 13-19 record. Posting13 wins marks the second-straight season in which CSUB improved its win total from the year prior as Bakersfield continues to navigate a deep and talented pool of Big West programs.

CSUB 78, UC Riverside 83 – Wednesday, March 13

• Bakersfield opened up the Big West Championship versus 5-seed UC Riverside on Wednesday night
• CSUB shot lights out in the first half, finishing with a 73% shooting percentage while outscoring UCR 44-33 in the period
  • Kaleb Higgins led at the half with 14 points (6-9 FG, 2-4 3FG) and four assists
  • Modestas Kancleris had 8 points (4-6 F), two rebounds, and two assists
• The Roadrunner defense forced UCR to shoot 44% from the field while forcing six turnovers
• The Highlanders finished the first half on a 12-4 run and UCR continued their momentum from the first half into the second half, tying the game at 52 with 13 minutes left to play
• With Riverside in the lead, Bakersfield battled to the end, cutting their deficit to just four points late in the game, but the `Runners could not finish the comeback
• UCR forced 10 turnovers in the second half with nine of those ten coming from steals
• CSUB shot 40% from the field in the second half
• Higgins finished the night with 35 points (15-24 FG, 3-6 3FG, 2-3 FT), four rebounds, five assists, and a steal
  • The senior guard finished his CSUB career in historic fashion, resetting his own single-game points record from 34 to 35
  • Higgins had recently tied Jarkel Joiner’s record of 34 points versus Long Beach State on February 1st
• He also scored his 1,000th point as a `Runner in the final minute of regulation versus UCR, becoming just the 16th in CSUB history to reach the milestone

• Cal State Bakersfield opened Big West play on the road, battling in three games at UC San Diego
• Freshman Sophia Leiva Guerra pitched 9.1 innings, finishing the weekend with an ERA of 3.75
• The Roadrunner bats started coming alive this week:
  • Maya Williams, Dani Hunter, and Karissa Munsey all batted over .400 on the weekend
  • Williams had six hits including a double, slugging .700 with an on-base percentage of .636
• Kaia Johnson is quickly reaching the CSUB Division I single-season stolen base record.
  • She is currently sitting at 14 steals, just two steals shy of tying the record (Kaylynn Burt, 2017)

CSUB 1, UCSD 5 – Thursday, March 14

• UC San Diego jumped out to an early, 3-0 lead thanks to an error, a couple sacrifice flies, and an RBI single.
• CSUB freshman Sophia Guerra Leiva took the circle in the second inning and pitched well for the remainder of the game.
  • Guerra Leiva finished with a solid line of 5.0 innings, two runs on five hits, and a strikeout.
• Bakersfield got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Shaylene Fuimaono doubled before Maya Williams drove in a run with an RBI single.
• UCSD tacked on one run in both the fifth and sixth innings, growing the advantage to 5-1.
• Williams went 3-for-3 with a HBP from the leadoff spot to pace the CSUB offense. Five other `Runners tallied base hits, but CSUB struggled to string hits together in the loss.

CSUB 7, UCSD 8 – Thursday, March 14

• The Roadrunners put up their second-best offensive output of the season, but fell just short in the loss.
• Bakersfield earned a 2-1 advantage early on thanks to RBI singles from Dani hunter and Violet Salazar.
• UCSD answered back with five runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth, surging ahead 8-2.
• The `Runners fought back, plating four runs in the top of the fifth on heads up base running and RBI base hits from Hailey Brooks and Karissa Munsey.
• CSUB scored one more run in the top of the seventh, making the score 8-7, but was unable to complete the comeback.
• Three `Runners – Salazar, Brooks, and Munsey – each tallied two hits including a pair of doubles for the freshman Brooks.
• Kaia Johnson went 2-for-2 in stolen bases on the day, swiping a total of three bags on the day.
  • Johnson is now 14-for-14 on the season, chasing CSUB’s Division I single-season record (16, Kaylynn Burt, 2017).

CSUB 2, UC San Diego 4 – Friday, March 15

• CSUB opened the final game of the three game set with the Tritons with Guerra Leiva in the circle
• The `Runners broke the 0-0 tie in the second inning after Shaylene Fuimaono’s RBI ground out to second base scoring Aariana Harrison
• Maya Williams added to that in the second inning with a single to right field  
• Guerra Leiva held the UCSD offense in check till the fifth inning before a single and a home run put the Tritons in front by two
• Kirsten Martinez came in for relief in the fifth inning and held the Triton offense at bay striking out a batter on three pitches and then working a ground out to close out the fifth
• Over the final two innings, the `Runner offense was unable to get much going, getting one on base, but they could not bring her home

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• The Cal State Bakersfield baseball team played four games last week, opening Big West play over the weekend.
• The Roadrunners drove down to Malibu to kick off the week on Tuesday against Pepperdine.
• CSUB then headed home to Hardt Field to begin Big West play against Hawai’i.
• The `Runners wrapped up the weekend with Bakersfield taking their first Big West win, against Hawai’i in the series finale.

 CSUB 8, Pepperdine 10 – Tuesday, Mar. 12

• Getting on the board first, Bakersfield starting scoring early, putting up four runs in the first three innings. 
• Pepperdine answered right back and did not stop scoring runs until the game reached the ninth inning, with the Waves' pitcher holding CSUB scoreless for three innings.
• Bakersfield's offense produced eight runs, thanks in part to four different `Runners tallying multiple hits.
  • Right fielder Cody Hendriks led the way with a 3-for-5 performance from the plate.
• The offensive outburst was not enough to get the best of Pepperdine as the Waves tallying four runs in the bottom of the seventh was too great for Bakersfield to match.

CSUB 0, Hawai’i 2 – Friday, Mar. 15 

• Friday night marked the start to Big West play for the 2024 season. After coming off a close lose against Pepperdine earlier in the week, Bakersfield was looking for a win against the Rainbow Warriors. 
• Hawai’i struck first, putting a tally on the board in the top of the second. 
• Ryan Verdugo held off the Warriors, putting in seven innings of work while striking out seven batters and allowing just two runs with only one that was earned.
• The Hawai’i pitching staff held Bakersfield off for nine innings of scoreless baseball, taking the series opener. 

CSUB 7, Hawai’i 11 – Saturday, Mar. 16 

• The second game of the series started off as a pitchers' duel with three scoreless innings by both teams. Hawai’i finally broke through, scoring six runs in the top of the fourth and continued their scoring into the next inning, putting up a total of nine runs.
• Bakersfield’s offense answered right back in the bottom of the fifth, with Noah Alvarez’s single to left field starting the `Runners six-run inning. 
• Hawai’i came back shortly after, only allowing CSUB to score one more run over the rest of the contest.
• The Bows bested Bakersfield once again, with Bakersfield’s four errors giving the opponent the upper hand to take the win.

CSUB 3, Hawai’i 2 – Sunday, Mar. 17 

• Starting on the mound for the `Runners was Kellen O’Connor, who put in six innings of work, allowing only two runs and scattering five hits while striking out five.
• Hawai'i scored two runs in the top of the third, but O'Connor and Gary Grosjean combined to hold Hawai’i scoreless the remainder of the game.
• Bakersfield’s offense scored one in the bottom of the fifth inning to finally get on the board.
• Heading into the ninth, Grosjean held strong, holding Hawaii from scoring any runs, giving the `Runners an opportunity to win.
• Everything about the bottom of the ninth was like clockwork. After Bakersfield managed to get runners on base, Jonah Shields doubled down the right field line, tying the game.
• After an intentional walk loaded up the bases for the `Runners, Matthew Kurata walked up to the plate and launched a single to right center scoring Alvarez on a walk off. 
• The `Runners grabbed not only their first Big West win of the season but their first walk off to close out conference-opening weekend.

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• The Cal State Bakersfield beach volleyball team continued the season at home with the Bakersfield Beach Bash, going 2-1 on the weekend.
• Ella Erteltova & Vivi Kaelin improved to 16-0 on the 2024 Beach Volleyball season. CSUB's No. 3 pair went 3-0 this weekend after defeating the University of San Francisco, Concordia Irvine, & The Master's.
• The Roadrunners will now be on the road for a long stretch of the season until Senior Day.
• CSUB's full schedule can be found at GoRunners.com/bvbschedule

CSUB 4, San Francisco 1 - Saturday March 17

#1 Megan Gilbert & Olivia Jensen (CSUB) defeat Moukea Wood & Letzia Aquino (USF) in 2 sets 22-20, 21-12

#3 Ella Erteltova & Vivi Kaelin (CSUB) defeat Kylie Reeves & Rawie Stevens (USF) in 2 sets 21-13, 21-17

#4  Ava Palm & Pearl Moore (CSUB) defeat Kaydence Stormes (USF) in 2 sets 21-9, 21-14

#5  Kaia Fanshier & Ella Ensign (CSUB) defeat Citessy Stanscious & Anunza Alvina (USF) in 2 sets 21-15, 21-18

CSUB 2, Concordia Irvine 3 - Saturday, March 17 

#3 Ella Erteltova & Vivi Kaelin (CSUB) defeat Korah Nordin & True McCollough (CUI) in 2 sets 21-18, 21-15

#5 Ella Ensign & Kaia Fanshier (CSUB) defeat Jordyn Nichols & Kelia Gusta (CUI) in 3 sets 18-21, 23-21, 21-19

CSUB 3, Master's 2 - Saturday, March 17 

#3 Ella Erteltova & Vivi Kaelin (CSUB) defeat Breanna Brooks & Isabella Rodriguez (TMU) in 2 sets 21-9, 21-10

#4  Ava Palm & Pearl Moore (CSUB) defeat Ashlyn Unruh & Violet Avila (TMU) in 2 sets 21-9, 28-16

#5  Kaia Fanshier & Ella Ensign (CSUB) defeat Arianna Deraffaele & Eleania (TMU) in 2 sets 21-17, 21-8

• The Cal State Bakersfield Track and Field program had 8 total wins throughout the two-day Cal State LA Invite meet. 
• Matthew Garrett shined for CSUB as he threw the #3 CSUB all-time mark in the hammer throw. 
• Click here for the full results.  

CSUB at Cal State LA Invite 

• On Friday, the hammer throwers were the lone `Runners competing on the day. Starting with the men, Matthew Garrett, Javier Toro, and Axel Salazar all went 1-2-3. Garrett’s first-place throw of 211’8.5” was a personal best and put him amongst the best in CSUB history for the event. 
• On the women’s side, Jessi Solis placed first with a personal best throw of 170’8”. Solis continues to improve weekly in the event.
• Saturday was another excellent outing for Toro and Garrett. The duos went 1 and 2 in the shot put. Toro’s throw of 54’5.25” is a new personal best. 
• For the women's field events, Miranda Miller placed first overall in the pole vault with a height of 12’5.5”. In just the senior’s second meet since December, Miller continues to work toward returning from injury. 
• On the track, the highlight of Saturday was Julie Johnson who earned herself a pair of wins in the 200m and 400m races. The Bakersfield native ran a personal time of 25.18 in the 200m.
• In the women’s 100m dash, Nerissa Thompson clocked in a personal record time of 12.06 and first overall in a field of 25. 
• Junior Neyda Martinez earned her second collegiate win in the 800m with a time of 2:26.71.
• The `Runners will be back in action on Mar. 22-23 for the Mark Conover Classic hosted by the Cal Poly Mustangs. 

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• Cal State Bakersfield's swimming and diving teams had their final official action of the season as Dyson Modica represented the Roadrunners at the NCAA Zone E Diving Championships.
• Modica qualified in the 1-meter Springboard, becoming the first `Runner since Carlee Burks (2017).
  • Modica placed 34th at the Regional meet with a score of 163.95.