Hawai'i Game Notes | CSUN Game Notes

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors baseball team (17-17, 6-3 Big West) opens up a seven-game road swing this weekend, beginning with a four-game stretch in a series at Cal State Northridge (22-13, 1-8 Big West) and a one-off non-conference tilt at Loyola Marymount (17-19), Friday through Monday, April 22-25.

The Rainbow Warriors fell from first to third in the Big West standings after losing last weekend's conference series at Les Murakami Stadium to Cal Poly, 2-1. The two losses to the Mustangs were decided by a mere four runs.

After a hot 21-5 non-conference start, the CSUN Matadors have hit a wall in Big West play, going 1-8, including a three-game sweep at No. 9 UC Santa Barbara. However, two contests were decided by a single run apiece. The Rainbow Warriors and Matadors will meet in a three-game set from Friday through Sunday, April 22-24 at Matador Field.

The Matadors are averaging 4.9 runs per contest and are hitting .268 as a team. Originally from Honolulu, junior second baseman Fred Smith leads CSUN at the plate with a .346 average, including seven doubles. Logging a team third-best 23 runs and 14 RBI, Smith is 6-for-8 stealing bases. Senior first baseman Branden Berry is hitting .331 with power, collecting eight doubles, a triple and a Big West second-best six home runs. Berry paces the team with 28 RBI and ranks second with 26 runs scored. Senior shortstop Yusuke Akitoshi makes the most of a .280 average with 11 extra base hits, ranking second in the conference in sacrifice bunts, while also successfully stealing 18-of-19 times—tops in the league and 29th nationally.

On the mound, CSUN has seen some variance in starting rotation, but are projected to start senior right-hander Angel Rodriguez (3-3, 3.72 ERA, 46.0 IP, 42 K, 9 BB) and redshirt sophomore lefty Kenny Rosenberg (4-1, 2.98 ERA, 60.1 IP), who ranks first in the BWC with 77 strikeouts with a .174 opposing average, followed by sophomore righty Andrew Weston (5-3, 3.07 ERA, 41.0 IP, 26 K, 13 BB).

On Monday in Los Angeles at George C. Page Stadium, the 'Bows will take on the Loyola Marymount Lions in a single-game at 6:00 p.m. PDT (3:00 p.m. HT). Junior catcher Cassidy Brown leads the Lions with a .333 average with 10 doubles and six home runs, amounting to a team-high 26 RBI and 20 runs.

The Lions are hitting .263 as a team with a 4.6 runs per game average, while their pitching staff sits with a 3.47 team ERA. Their starter for Monday is yet to be determined, but junior right-hander Tyler Cohen (2-3, 4.46 ERA, 40.1 IP, 28 K, 23 BB) started the last non-conference outing versus UCLA. Before meeting the 'Bows, the Lions will face CSU Bakersfield on Wednesday and then take on a three-game road series at Pacific over the weekend.

The Rainbow Warriors are hitting .274 overall and .328 in conference games this season, paced by shortstop Jacob Sheldon-Collins, who ranks second in the Big West with a .394 average, tying for the team lead with seven doubles, racking up 18 RBI and 20 runs, reaching base at a .440 clip. Catcher Kekai Rios follows at .337, putting up 16 RBI and 15 runs, in addition to picking off 14 base thieves. Center fielder Matt LoCoco makes the most of his leadoff role, batting .295 with a team-high 25 runs, aided by a BWC second-best 24 walks, also batting in 15 runs.

On the mound, junior right-hander Brendan Hornung is third in the conference with 65.2 innings pitched, putting together a 3-5 record and 2.48 ERA, leading the team and ranking eighth in the conference with 50 strikeouts. Senior righty Kyle Von Ruden leads the conference with 71.1 innings, going 5-1 with a 2.78 ERA and 35 strikeouts versus eight walks. Senior lefty (3-4, 4.65 ERA, 50.1 IP, 42 K, 13 BB) rounds out the rotation. Monday's starter will be determined later, depending on bullpen usage across the weekend.

CSUN leads the all-time series with the 'Bows, dating back to 1981. UH has gone 3-6 against the Matadors since joining the Big West, including last year's 2-1 UH series win at Les Murakami Stadium. Against Loyola Marymount, it's the 'Bows that are in the driver's seat, holding a 29-11 advantage in the series dating back to the beginning for UH, opening up in 1974. UH leads 4-2 across the last six meetings, last falling to LMU, 9-3, last March in Los Angeles.What: Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors (17-17, 6-3 BWC) at CSUN Matadors (22-13, 1-8 BWC)
When: Friday, April 22, 3:00 p.m. PDT (12:00 p.m. HT)
           Saturday, April 23, 1:00 p.m. PDT (10:00 a.m. HT)
           Sunday, April 24, 1:00 p.m. PDT (10:00 a.m. HT)
Where: Northridge, Calif. (Matador Stadium)
Television: None
Live Video Streaming: All games will be streamed live on BigWest.tv
Radio: All games will be broadcast live on the radio on ESPN 1420 AM with Mel Proctor on the call. Neighbor islands can listen live on KNUI on Maui, KHLO in Hilo, KKON in Kona and KTOH on Kaua'i.
Audio Webcast: www.ESPN1420am.com
Live Stats: Live in-game stats will be provided by CSUN Athletics throughout the series at the link listed below.
        All Games 

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What: Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors (17-17, 6-3 BWC) at Loyola Marymount Lions (17-19, 8-7 WCC)
When: Monday, April 25, 6:00 p.m. PDT (3:00 p.m. HT)
Where: Los Angeles, Calif. (George C. Page Stadium)
Television: None
Live Video Streaming: The game will be streamed live on LMU Sports Network
Radio: All games will be broadcast live on the radio on ESPN 1420 AM with Mel Proctor on the call. Neighbor islands can listen live on KNUI on Maui, KHLO in Hilo, KKON in Kona and KTOH on Kaua'i.
Audio Webcast: www.ESPN1420am.com
Live Stats: Live in-game stats will be provided by LMU Athletics