CSUN Holds Irvine to Two Hits in Opener

Dan Penner started the Cal State Northridge baseball season--and a new chapter in his career--in impressive fashion, combining with John LaRosa on a two-hitter in a 14-0 win Tuesday over UC Irvine at Matador field.

It had been two years since Penner had pitched in a college game and he was shaky in the early innings. His teammates quickly put him at ease, however, scoring twice in the third inning and three more times in the fourth off Irvine starter Craig Brink.

Northridge finished with 16 hits, including three each from John Balfanz and Jimmy Mitchell.

Penner, a transfer from Hawaii, allowed only a third-inning single in six innings. Even so, he wasn’t overly impressed.

“I didn’t have good stuff today,” he said. “I couldn’t find a groove. I’m a placement pitcher and I wasn’t getting calls on the corners. When that happened, I started aiming. I didn’t get really comfortable out there until my last inning.”

Penner walked six and hit two batters, but his allowing more walks than hits is not unusual--for him.

“I’m the type of guy who would rather walk a guy then groove one and have a guy hit a home run,” Penner said.

He didn’t have much to worry about against Irvine. The Anteaters hit only seven balls to the outfield.

Meanwhile, the Matadors were having a field day against Brink, Irvine’s ace.

Scott McIntyre started the scoring for Northridge in the third inning, blasting Brink’s first pitch far over the left field fence.

Mitchell followed with a line drive that caromed off the left-field fence with such force that he had to settle for a single. He moved to third on a stolen base and a fly ball, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Craig Burns.

Jim Vatcher’s two-run double keyed a three-run third inning for Northridge.