CSUN Is Sloppy, but Wins It, 12-10

The Matadors were nearly gored--not by a bull, but by an itty-bitty baseball team.

The Cal State Northridge baseball team needed 10 innings to defeat tiny Westmont College, 12-10, Friday in a non-conference game at Westmont.

The Matadors may have been looking ahead to next week’s four games with California Collegiate Athletic Assn. leader Cal Poly Pomona.

A 10th-inning sacrifice fly by Mark Ban gave Northridge the lead for good in the sloppily played game, which was marred by nine errors and 15 walks.

Center fielder Bryant Long hit a solo home run in the ninth to give CSUN a 10-8 lead, but Westmont came back to tie on a two-run homer by right fielder Mark Ramirez off winning pitcher Carl Butera.

Butera (2-0) went the final 5 innings, striking out five and walking three. He replaced starter John LaRosa in the fifth inning when Westmont scored seven runs. LaRosa allowed seven hits in 4 innings of work.

Westmont, a member of the National Assn. of Interscholastic Athletics, District III, pieced together four hits, two walks and two Matador errors in the fifth to take an 8-4 lead.

Northridge came back with two runs in the sixth and eighth innings to even the score prior to Long’s home run.

Third baseman Tom McKay doubled and singled, and shortstop Matt MacArthur singled twice for Northridge. Teammate Dick Jaquez hit sacrifice flies in the fifth and sixth innings.

Westmont, which out-hit Northridge 12-10, was led by Paul Redick (a double and a single) and Pete Harrell (two singles).

“I don’t know if we were flat or not,” said CSUN Coach Terry Craven. “Westmont isn’t a bad team, but looking at our records we should have won big.

“Perhaps we were looking ahead--we have our chance next week. We have our work cut out for us.”

Northridge (18-8, 39-19-1) will face Pomona (19-4) next Tuesday at Pomona, Friday at Northridge and Saturday, May 12, in a doubleheader at Pomona.