Penner Goes the Route for CSUN, but Mistakes Cost Him in 11th

Fred Hanker has the kind of square-cut jaw and chiseled features that could prompt a chorus of high-pitched teen-age squeals should he ever make it in professional baseball.

He also has a habit of getting clutch base hits, which often makes him the subject of adulation by his coach and teammates.

Hanker was at it again Friday at Cal State Northridge, one-hopping a two-run double off the chest of CSUN’s fill-in third baseman, Danny Fernandez, to give Cal State Dominguez Hills a 6-5 victory over the Matadors in 11 innings.

“He’s been doing it for four years,” said Dominguez Coach Andy Lopez, who was obviously more pleased than surprised. “He’s phenomenal with people in scoring position. I’d put him in there against anyone in that situation.”

In this case, “anyone” happened to be Dan Penner, who on this day would have been better off lucky than good. Penner (6-3) made 156 pitches in going the distance, only to lose when his own throwing error helped set up Hanker’s game-winning hit.

Dominguez is tied for second with Northridge at 3-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn., two games behind unbeaten Cal Poly Pomona. Dominguez is 17-8 overall, while Northridge fell to 16-8.

The score was tied, 4-4, in the 11th when CSUN’s defense and Penner’s arm finally unraveled. Eric Mihkelson opened the inning with a walk. Mike Perryman then laid down a bunt that was just bad enough to be doubly effective. Scott McIntyre, CSUN’s catcher, threw to second for the force but instead threw the ball into center field.

Undaunted, the Matadors tried to get Mihkelson again, this time on a pickoff play. This time Penner did the honors, throwing the ball into center field. Two outs later, Jon Beuder drew a walk to load the bases and bring up Hanker.

Hanker had been seeing a diet of sliders most of the game, but he was guessing fastball after Penner’s first pitch missed.

“I figured he had to come in the with a fastball,” Hanker said, “because he needed a strike with the bases already loaded.”

Hanker had come oh-so-close to putting the Toros ahead in the top of the ninth, but Fernandez, who before the afternoon was a backup catcher, smothered his hit and tagged third base to force a runner for the final out.

Fernandez was forced to play third base from the second inning on when shortstop Chris Pinsak and second baseman Jimmy Mitchell had to leave after colliding while vainly trying to make a play on a ground ball hit up the middle. Mitchell suffered a cut on his forehead that required seven stitches. Pinsak was forced out with a back injury.

Because Pierre Rodnunsky, CSUN’s backup shortstop, was already in the lineup as the designated hitter, Coach Terry Craven moved third baseman Tim Rapp to second, inserted Fernandez at third, and put Mark Hebert, another third baseman, at short.

Still, Fernandez nearly turned Hanker’s double in an inning-ending out.

“Fernandez made a couple of good plays,” Craven said, “he just didn’t make the one.”

Penner, who said he felt like he was throwing as hard at the end as he was at the beginning, was philosophical afterward.

“Sometimes you make those plays and sometimes you don’t,” he said. “I think we’re going to end up winning more of those games than losing.”

Northridge outhit Dominguez, 13-9, and threatened to tie or win in the bottom of the 11th. With one out, McIntyre and Jim Vatcher singled. Lenn Gilmore then lashed his fourth single up the middle, scoring McIntyre. Dominguez pitcher Chris Haslock, who entered the game in the eighth, was replaced by Dennis Brady, who induced Rapp to ground into a game-ending double play. Haslock picked up his fourth win against two losses, while Brady was credited with his second save.

Said Craven: “Two plays ended up costing us. We run a bunt play, they bunt, and we throw it away. We run a pickoff play, and might have had him, and we throw that away, too. If we do them right, we might still be playing.”

And Penner might still be pitching.