Tribune-Herald
Tribune-Herald
The sweeps are mounting for the University of Hawaii baseball team.
Cal State Northridge did the honors Sunday in Honolulu, throwing seven pitchers and getting a home run and four RBIs from Josh Goossen-Brown in a 10-4 victory.
Corey MacDonald pitched eight innings but took the loss for the Warriors (8-27, 3-9 Big West), who were swept for the fourth time this season and for the second time in league play.
Hawaii outhit the Matadors (22-17, 8-4) 12-10.
Stephen Ventimilia was 3 for 5 with two RBIs, including an RBI double in the fifth inning, and Kalei Hanawahine went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
However, Northridge broke through for three runs in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead, then poured it on by scoring five runs over the final two innings to win for the third straight day.
Tyler Podratz (2 for 2) came up with a run-scoring single to get Hawaii back within in a run in the seventh.
The Matadors took advantage of an error to score two run in the eighth, and Goossen-Brown hit a three-run home run in the ninth off reliever Max Duval.
Nate Ring finished 2 for 4 with and RBI single in the fifth that gave the Matadors the lead for good, and Alexis Mercado was 2 for 4 and drove in a run with a double in the second.
MacDonald (4-4) allowed nine hits and seven runs — five earned. The senior right-hander walked two and struck out four.
Brandon Warner (1-0) relieved Matadors starter John Salas in the fifth and pitched two innings to get credit for the win.
Also for Hawaii at the plate, Connor George had two hits and scored twice, and Marc Flores was 2 for 4.
Fourth-ranked Cal State Fullerton visits Les Murakami Stadium for a three-game series that starts Friday.