Sharts Helps CSUN Tune Up for Riverside in 8-5 Victory

Scott Sharts pitched his first complete game at the collegiate level Saturday in leading Cal State Northridge to an 8-5 California Collegiate Athletic Assn. victory over Chapman at Hart Park in Orange.

Sharts (2-1), troubled by tendinitis in his right (pitching) arm, scattered seven hits in his third start on the mound this season.

“(The elbow) felt great today,” said Sharts, a sophomore. “It didn’t bother me at all.”

The Matadors, who finished 5-0 against Chapman this season, improved to 28-15, and 15-6 in conference play to remain 1 1/2 games behind CCAA-leading UC Riverside (16-4), which beat Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 12-4, on Saturday. Chapman fell to 23-19, 13-10, three games behind Northridge.

CSUN, which defeated Chapman for the third time in three days, will meet Riverside in a pivotal three-game series beginning Thursday.

“We’re fortunate to have the luxury to meet Chapman and Riverside at this time of the year,” Kernen said. “It’s hard to beat a team five times. We didn’t get caught up in that. It takes a special kind of mentality to do that.”

Sharts, who leads the Matadors with 17 home runs, picked up his first victory last Saturday in a 9-2 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills. He gave up one run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings.

“I definitely want to do some more pitching the rest of the season,” Sharts said.

Sharts was not too concerned despite allowing a three-run home run to Doug Yates in the first inning that gave the Panthers a 3-1 lead.

“I wasn’t worried about it,” Sharts said. “I knew we had the ability to come back. We’ve done it all year.”

The Matadors took the lead for good two innings later, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring five runs to go ahead, 6-3.

Scott Richardson knocked in three runs with a bases-loaded triple to deep center field.

Northridge added two runs in the fourth to go ahead, 8-3. Craig Clayton, who doubled and advanced to third on Greg Shockey’s single, scored the first run when catcher Mike Kelly’s attempt to throw out Shockey in an attempted steal of second ended up in center field.

Shockey (three hits) went to third on the error and Sharts singled him home on a bad-hop grounder that caromed off shortstop Mark Landeros’ shoulder.

Chapman pushed across two runs in the fourth to close to 8-5. Jason Rolish walked and advanced to second on a single by Rod Klopfer. Landeros doubled to score both baserunners.

Clayton, who pitched the entire game in Northridge’s 12-inning win over Chapman on Thursday and leads the team with a .407 batting average, was three for five and scored three runs.