COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS : Balfanz Equals CSUN Home-Run Record

When a group of reporters gathered around Cal State Northridge first baseman John Balfanz after Tuesday’s 13-4 win over Cal State Long Beach he looked legitimately surprised.

Sure, he’d just launched two space-shot homers and driven in five runs, but the 6-3 junior from Bakersfield clearly wasn’t expecting the attention he was receiving, and for good reason:

He was unaware of what he’d accomplished.

Balfanz’s home runs tied the school career mark of 29 but there was no party being thrown by the party involved.

“A record, really?” Balfanz said. “I really wasn’t aware of how close I was.”

Balfanz’s first blast came off Long Beach starter Bryan Leonard in the fifth. Balfanz, a left-handed hitter, cleared the left-field wall to give the Matadors a 1-0 lead.

Northridge scored eight runs in the sixth, with Balfanz doubling in two runs on a ground-rule double over the right-field wall.

Two innings later, with CSUN leading, 9-4, Balfanz launched a record-tying, two-run homer off reliever Terence Glover. The ball went nearly as high as it did far in its flight over the right-field wall at Matador Field.

“I wasn’t sure if it would get out or not,” Balfanz said.

At the time, he didn’t realize it mattered that much, either.

Scott McIntyre and Chris Pinsak also homered for CSUN in support of Jeremy Hernandez (1-1), who shut out Long Beach for seven innings before surrendering four runs in the eighth.