Wheatcroft Weathers 12 Innings for 3-2 Win

Even Robert Wheatcroft’s biggest fans were not ready for the outing he had Saturday at Matador Field.

Wheatcroft’s rooting section began taping a black “K” to the bleacher guard rail for each strikeout the Cal State Northridge right-hander registered against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Wheatcroft’s backers brought eight of the cutout K’s to the game, figuring that was more than enough. But by the 11th inning, they were digging into their programs to manufacture some new white ones to keep pace with the Matador hurler.

Wheatcroft finished with a season-high 10 strikeouts, going the distance in Northridge’s 3-2, 12-inning California Collegiate Athletic Assn. victory over San Luis Obispo.

“I looked up and saw those K’s hanging from the railing and I said, ‘What the heck is that?’ ” said Wheatcroft, who walked seven and allowed six hits, just one after the sixth inning. “Someone asked me how many K’s they brought, and I said, ‘I hope 27.’ ”

Thirty-six would have been a more appropriate number on this scorching day, as the two CCAA contenders battled into the 12th inning before Northridge won on a Mustang error--their fourth of the game and second of the inning. Two of the Matadors’ three runs were unearned.

After Wheatcroft (8-2) threw his 183rd pitch to retire San Luis Obispo in the top of the 12th, Northridge’s Mike Solar led off with a walk against Mustang reliever Phil Crumback. Ted Weisfuss followed with a bunt to first baseman Pat Kirby, whose throw to second sailed into center field, putting Matadors on first and second.

Craig Clayton then hit a high chopper to third that got under the glove of Matt Drake and rolled into left field, and Solar hustled home with the winning run ahead of Todd Rice’s throw.

“It’s a play you’ve got to make, and I think Drake should have made it,” San Luis Obispo Coach Steve McFarland said.

“It was more difficult than you might think,” Northridge Coach Bill Kernen countered. “It was a slow, high chopper that the infielder comes in on and he either gets it or he doesn’t.”

He didn’t, giving the Matadors (18-10-1, 8-6-1 in conference play) their second consecutive win over San Luis Obispo (18-18, 8-7) and moving them ahead of the Mustangs in the CCAA standings.

It did not come easy, however. Dave Wilson matched Wheatcroft pitch for pitch until he was relieved in the 10th inning after throwing 151 pitches. Wilson allowed only four hits and one earned run while striking out nine.

“Wilson ran out of gas,” McFarland said. “Actually, he ran out of gas in the sixth inning, but he sucked it up.”

San Luis Obispo struck first on Doug Noce’s solo home run to left field in the fifth.

“He hit a good pitch, a hard slider,” Wheatcroft said. “It wasn’t a bad pitch. You’ve got to give him credit.”

Northridge scored twice in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. First, Solar lined a double down the left-field line to score Randy Thompson, who was on first after forcing Denny Vigo.

Weisfuss followed with a bouncer to third, but Drake’s throw got past Kirby as Solar scored the go-ahead run.

The Mustangs tied the score, 2-2, in their next at-bat when Noce’s two-out bloop single scored Rice from second base. It stayed that way until Drake’s error six innings later.

“It was a definite dogfight,” Wheatcroft said. “It came down to who was going to break first, and they broke first.”