Solar-Powered CSUN Still Alive in CCAA Title Race

The Cal State Northridge baseball team, refusing to let the sun set on its run for the school’s first California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title since 1981, lately has been driven by Solar power.

Friday at Northridge, freshman shortstop Mike Solar hit his second home run in as many days as Northridge beat Cal State Dominguez Hills, 6-4.

The victory improved the Matadors record to 30-18-1 overall, 16-11-1 in conference play, and set the stage for today’s final regularly scheduled game at Dominguez Hills.

If Northridge beats the Toros (15-29-2, 10-18-1), the Matadors will play a make-up game against conference-leading Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on Sunday. A victory over San Luis Obispo would pull Northridge within a half-game of first and likely force a makeup game at home Monday against UC Riverside. A victory would automatically give the Matadors a berth in the NCAA Division II regionals, which begin May 19.

“We have to go out and play like we always do,” said Solar, who hit a grand slam Thursday during a 9-0 win at Dominguez Hills. “We’re pretty confident right now. We just have to stay with it.”

Northridge pitcher Vale Lopez (6-9) took it to Dominguez Hills on Friday, pitching his 12th complete game.

Lopez, a junior right-hander from Port Hueneme, gave up 10 hits, struck out one and walked two.

Dominguez Hills pulled within two runs in the ninth on consecutive two-out doubles by Adrian Rodriguez and Robert Campbell, but Lopez stifled the rally by inducing pinch-hitter Vic Fresca to fly to center.

“I guess this is where we want to be,” Lopez said. “We just need someone to push a little and we come through.”

Northridge managed eight hits off Dominguez Hills right-hander Charlie Plumley (4-5), the victim of first-inning errors that allowed Northridge to take a 1-0 lead.

Craig Clayton led off with a single and moved to third when Toro left-fielder Lenny Hokanson dropped Greg Shockey’s slicing fly ball near the left-field foul line. Rusty McLain drove in Clayton with the first of his two run-scoring sacrifice flies.

Dominguez Hills, however, took a 2-1 lead in the second. Mike Gabbani hit a solo home run and Tom Acuna singled before Solar committed consecutive errors on grounders by Bill Keep and Rodriguez that allowed Acuna to score.

Solar redeemed himself in the fourth by following McLain’s single with a two-run shot over the left-field wall that put Northridge ahead, 3-2.

Dominguez Hills’ Ruben Jauregui tied the score with a two-out solo home run in the fifth before CSUN again rallied in its half of the inning. After Randy Thompson led off with a double, Shockey came through with a run-scoring single that broke the 3-3 tie and proved to be the game-winning hit.

Northridge scored its final runs in the seventh on a run-scoring double by Chae-Ho Chong and a sacrifice fly by McLain.

“I thought we came out early and played tight for the first time since the beginning of the year,” Northridge Coach Bill Kernen said. “But I think our players are ready for tomorrow. They’re as ready as they’re ever going to be.”