Kernen Lauded as ‘Good Selection’ for Northridge Baseball Job

Baseball coaches at several Southern California universities say that Cal State Northridge made an excellent choice in hiring Bill Kernen to lead its baseball program into Division I.

Kernen, an assistant under Augie Garrido at Cal State Fullerton and Illinois, has a reputation as an excellent recruiter capable of quickly building the Matadors into a contender.

“They had a strong field of applicants to pick from so they were in a win, win, win situation,” USC Coach Mike Gillespie said. “I expect Bill Kernen to be tremendously successful. He understands the recruiting game, I’ll tell you that. He was an outstanding pitcher and pitching coach. He’s a very good selection.”

Coaches in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn., said that they expect Kernen to adopt the same style that helped make Fullerton a perennial power.

“Garrido leaned heavily on Kernen and he did an outstanding job,” Cal Poly Pomona Coach John Scolinos said. “I think that will carry over to Northridge. He’s experienced. The Northridge job is in the right hands.”

Said UC Riverside Coach Jack Smitheran: “He’s an excellent pitching coach. With that, and the experience he’s gained, I’m sure he’s going to develop a good program. It certainly won’t make winning ballgames in our conference any easier.”

Kernen, who has said he will concentrate on recruiting pitchers, a catcher and a shortstop as a foundation for the team, is already at work. He has been seen at several American Legion and other amateur baseball games in the Valley area during the past week.

Kernen was selected from a pool of finalists that included Bill Hughes, who works for the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau, and former Pepperdine assistant Jim Gattis.

Hughes said he would now prepare for a “big summer of speeches and clinics around the country” on behalf of the Scouting Bureau.

Hughes, another former Fullerton assistant, is also considered a leading candidate for the assistant coaching position at USC that was vacated when Don Buford took a job with the Baltimore Orioles.

“It certainly would be one of the finer development jobs around,” Hughes said. “I think the world of the people there and the university.”

Gattis, who was a candidate for the jobs at Long Beach, Pepperdine and Northridge, said he will pursue a job in professional baseball.

“I will be contacting people I know in the professional arena and seeking employment,” Gattis said. “I think I’ll get a job--I’m just hoping I go with the right group so that I’ll have the opportunity to advance based on how I perform.”

Gattis was an assistant at Pepperdine for four seasons and also has experience managing in the minor leagues.