Wet Start Fails to Make Baseball Season Slide : CS Northridge Favored in the CCAA

Lost time is hard to make up.

But it has been a fact of life this season for Cal State Northridge baseball Coach Terry Craven and many of his Division II peers.

First, the schools lost 20 to 30 games in the preseason when the NCAA limited the number of games in a calendar year to 60. (The limit has since been raised to a maximum of 20 games in the fall, 60 in the spring.)

Then, heavy rains last month forced postponement or cancellation of many regular-season games.

Craven is left with the feeling that his team is behind schedule as it prepares to open California Collegiate Athletic Assn. play Friday at Cal State Dominguez Hills at 2:30 p.m.

“We’re still wishing we could have played more games in order to give more people more opportunities,” Craven said. “But we haven’t, and because other people haven’t, that sort of equalizes itself.”

If that is the case, the Matadors (5-6) enter the season as the conference favorite. In a preseason Division II poll by Collegiate Baseball magazine--the only one conducted this season--CSUN is rated second behind defending champion Florida Southern.

Craven isn’t so sure.

“Because we haven’t had the preparation that we wanted, we’re not sure about a lot of things,” he said. “I think we have people that can do the job, but they haven’t had enough opportunities to demonstrate it.”

The Matadors are attempting to replace six starters and two players in the pitching rotation.

Jeremy Hernandez and Dan Gonzalez, with strong performances in a pair of 1-0 losses to Pepperdine over the weekend, have apparently filled CSUN’s needs on the mound.

But the offense, which scored 34 runs in the first two games of the season, has become an area of concern for Craven.

“I’m hoping that the offensive production, which has been hit-and-miss since the first week, will come back to match the pitching, and that both will pick up the defense,” Craven said.

With three other CCAA teams rated in the nation’s Top 10, CSUN will be pressed early to find answers to its remaining questions.

The following is an alphabetical look at the rest of the CCAA.

Cal Poly Pomona: Rated eighth in the preseason poll, the defending conference champions have struggled to a 3-12 start, and lost their conference opener Tuesday to UC Riverside. Pomona played its entire preseason schedule against Division I opposition. Mike Munoz, a first-team All-American last season when he posted a 16-6 record, is 0-5 with a 4.50 earned run average this season. With only one starter returning, the Broncos have committed 40 errors through 15 games.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo: The Mustangs (9-3) have yet to lose to a Division II team. With four wins over Santa Clara and another over Fresno State, they expect to improve last year’s record of 26-32 overall, 11-18 in conference. Coach Steve McFarland, in his third season, fields a veteran lineup. With the exception of senior right-hander Mike Briare, who started a school-record 15 games in 1985, the Mustang pitching staff is inexperienced.

Cal State Dominguez Hills: Based on a 10-3-1 start, the Toros--rated fourth in the preseason poll--could be playing the best baseball of any conference team. Averaging more than six runs a game, Dominguez Hills has a team slugging percentage of .460. Jim Pena, CCAA pitcher of the year in 1985, heads the pitching staff.

Cal State Los Angeles: The Diablos (4-11) could be a year away. The team has 14 players back from a 14-42 season, but only two are seniors. Coach John Herbold, in his third season, has 15 freshmen on the roster. Sophomores Chris LaRiviere and Steve Polverini will anchor the pitching staff. Junior college transfers Steve Nichols (first base) and Jeff Kimbro (second base) are the top position players.

Chapman: A year ago, the Panthers (6-9) finished last in conference (21-30, 9-13) with a senior-oriented team. This year, a host of newcomers will carry the load. Center fielder Ivan Camacho joins starting pitchers Steve Dunn and Rob Glisson--both left-handers--as the only returning regulars.

UC Riverside: The Highlanders (10-6, 1-0) join CSUN, Dominguez Hills and possibly San Luis Obispo as the top teams entering conference play. Rated sixth in the preseason poll, Riverside has already defeated defending CCAA champion Pomona after completing a competitive non-conference schedule.