CSUN at Home on the Road Again in 10-7 Victory

Only three of the first 17 games the Cal State Northridge baseball team has played this season have been at home. The schedule-makers didn’t do the Matadors any favors.

Or did they?

Not only does the road not seem that daunting now, Northridge is thriving on it.

Scott Richardson had five hits to pace a 15-hit barrage Saturday as Northridge rolled to a 10-7 win over San Jose State in a nonconference game.

Northridge earned its seventh consecutive victory--sixth in a row on the road--and second in as many days over San Jose State. The Matadors (13-4 overall) defeated the Spartans, 11-4, on Friday and will attempt to complete a three-game series sweep today.

Before taking two games against the Spartans, the Matadors swept a two-game series at Arizona and a three-game series with Cal State Fullerton. Northridge’s last road loss came at USC on Feb. 9. The Matadors are 10-4 on the road and 3-0 at home.

Northridge took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. After Kyle Washington doubled, Richardson followed with a run-scoring single and was sacrificed to second by Mike Sims. Mike Solar’s single scored Richardson.

Northridge added two runs in the fourth after loading the bases on Washington’s double, a single by Richardson and a walk to Sims. Solar followed with a two-run single that increased the Matadors’ lead to 4-0.

In the fifth, Northridge added three runs on three hits and an error. Scott Sharts, who hit his ninth and 10th home runs of the season Friday, reached on an error by shortstop Daniel Smith and went to second on Washington’s single.

Richardson followed with a run-scoring single and Sims’ double scored Washington and Richardson, extending Northridge’s lead to 7-0.

After San Jose State (8-5) countered with three runs in the sixth, Northridge scored three times in the seventh. Richardson and Sims led off with consecutive singles and, one out later, Dave Prosenko drove Richardson home with a single.

Craig Clayton extended his hitting streak to eight games with a run-scoring single and Greg Shockey’s sacrifice fly gave Northridge a 10-3 lead.

Richardson finished five for five with two runs and two runs batted in, and Sims was three for three with a double and two RBIs.

Ken Kendrena (3-1), a junior right-hander, allowed two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings and struck out six. Dave Eggert earned his first save.