Martinez Keys CSUN Split With Riverside

Fili Martinez was not about to let the opportunity slip from his grasp again.

The junior left-hander pitched a four-hit shutout Saturday in the first game of a California Collegiate Athletic Assn. doubleheader that the Matadors split with UC Riverside. Martinez’s win eased the pain of last week’s 8-inning performance against the Highlanders that resulted in a loss.

“I was getting a little tired in the last inning again today,” said Martinez, whose 4-0 win was the Matadors’ first shutout this season. “But there was no way I was not going to finish.”

The Matadors dropped the second game, 12-11, but the loss didn’t seem to hinder Northridge’s feeling of rejuvenation. Martinez’s outing came on the heels of Robert Wheatcroft’s complete-game win over the then-conference leading Highlanders on Friday. Winning two of three games kept the Matadors (13-23 overall, 4-7 in conference play) from being buried in the CCAA cellar with defending-champion Cal State Dominguez Hills.

“Before the season started, I said the winner might have 12 or 13 losses and I still think so,” said Riverside Coach Jack Smitheran, whose team is 19-15 overall and 9-5 in conference play. “I think Northridge kind of got themselves back into it.”

Martinez (1-2) retired the first 13 batters before Riverside’s Mike Eatinger singled to left with one out in the fifth. Martinez finished with four strikeouts and no walks.

“I was just concentrating on throwing the first pitch for a strike,” Martinez said.

“This is the best game I’ve pitched since I’ve been at Northridge.”

The Matadors scored the only run they would need in the third inning. With one out, Scott McIntyre and Scott Strickland got things started with consecutive singles. John Bonilla hit a ground ball to second to start what would been an inning-ending double play, but Riverside first baseman Logan Osander dropped the relay throw and McIntyre scored from second by sliding around a tag at the plate.

Good pitching was apparently spent by both teams in the first game. The seven-inning nightcap--a 23-run slugfest--featured six home runs, including two by Eatinger.

“If our pitchers get ahead of hitters, we win,” said Lenn Gilmore, who hit his 12th home run to give CSUN an early lead. “All we need is some consistent pitching because our offense is going to score runs.”