CSUN Blows 9-Run Lead in 12-11 Loss to Las Vegas

The scoreboard was turned off. The bases had been taken away. The game was long over.

But Cal State Northridge Coach Bill Kernen still had his baseball team gathered down the right-field line at Nevada Las Vegas’ Barnson Field.

The Matadors blew a 9-0 lead against UNLV and lost, 12-11, Friday on a run-scoring single by Dan Madsen in the bottom of the ninth. Kernen wasn’t about to let his players leave early.

The Matadors, ranked 22nd in the nation by Baseball America, won their first three games of the season, against Grand Canyon University, scoring 38 runs in the process. But they weren’t able to hold a big lead against the Rebels.

“We’ve had big leads for four games in a row,” Kernen said. “One thing we haven’t done a very good job (of) is keeping it in gear once we’ve had the lead. We have a tendency to cruise a little bit.”

Northridge scored nine times in the first three innings before UNLV had its first hit.

The Matadors bombed starter Brian Boehringer, who lasted only 2 1/3 innings during which he gave up eight runs on six hits and four walks, threw two wild pitches and hit a batter.

Denny Vigo led the way for Northridge with two hits and three runs batted in in the first two innings. By then, the game looked over to everyone but the Rebels.

“We honestly felt we could come back,” UNLV Coach Fred Dallimore said.

As the sun dipped behind the hills and many from the estimated gathering of 350 headed for their cars, the Rebels fought back. UNLV trailed, 9-2, in the fifth when Bobby Dillon hit a grand slam to put UNLV back in the game.

“I was just looking to hit a fly ball and get a run in,” Dillon said. “I just wanted to keep the momentum going.

Dillon struck again in the seventh with a two-run double to make it 11-8. Nick Kuster then hit a two-run homer to pull UNLV within a run going into the eighth.

The home run spelled the end for CSUN starter Scott Sharts, who gave up 10 runs on 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings.

The Rebels, playing in their opener, tied the score with two out in the eighth when Tim Johnson hit a grounder to second baseman Scott Richardson, whose throw pulled Sharts, the new first baseman, off the bag and allowed M. J. Mariani to score from second.

That set the stage for Madsen, who lined the ball into the gap in left-center with two out in the ninth to score Lee Reiber. Designated-hitter Dillon came on in relief to get the win, pitching the final 2 2/3 innings without allowing a hit.