Box Score Northridge, CA—UC Riverside and CSUN engaged in an old-fashioned pitcher's duel Friday afternoon at Matadors Field, but Northridge took advantage of a Highlanders error in the seventh to eke out a 2-1 victory.

The Matadors pushed a run across in the bottom of the first as Elias Orona led off the inning with a single to right, stole second and third, and came home on a Joie Dunyon (1-1) wild pitch.

Dunyon settled down after that, keeping CSUN (25-15, 4-9) off the board over the next five innings. Meanwhile, Dunyon's counterpart, Calvin Copping, didn't allow a hit until Vince Fernandez laced a two-out double to left in the top of the fourth.

UC Riverside (12-27, 1-9) tied the score in the top of the seventh as Cody Sporrer tripled to right center and came home on an Alex Rubanowitz groundout.

The Matadors regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh taking advantage of a Highlanders' miscue. Dunyon retired Dylan Alexander on a pop up to short to start the frame, but Rubanowitz couldn't handle Chester Pak's grounder to third allowing him to reach. A Nick Blaser groundout advanced Pak to second, and he scored on a William Colantano single to left center.

Connor O'Neil came on in relief of Copping to start the eighth, tossing two scoreless frames and allowing just one hit to pick up his seventh save of the season.

Dunyon pitched all eight innings for UCR allowing just five hits while striking out 10.

The Highlanders and Matadors play game two of their three-game Big West Conference series on Saturday. First ptich at Matadors Field is slated for 2 pm PT.