Sharts Lands Leadoff Punch in 19-0 Victory

Scott Sharts is the biggest fellow on the Cal State Northridge baseball team, but even he occasionally needs protection.

Not from bullies--the 6-foot-6, 225-pound Sharts swings the meanest bat in the lineup--but from timid pitchers who are often reluctant to toss a fastball to Sharts.

With Greg Shockey and Denny Vigo, who usually hit behind Sharts, missing Thursday’s game against Hartford because of injuries, Sharts was moved from third to leadoff so that he could bat ahead of Craig Clayton, the Matadors’ leading hitter.

In an unfamiliar slot, Sharts achieved a familiar feat, a three-run home run, and Northridge won the nonconference game, 19-0, at home.

“It’s the first time in my whole career I’ve had that opportunity,” Sharts said of batting leadoff. “At first I was kind of like, ‘What am I supposed to do in this spot?’ ”

He soon learned.

Despite the presence of Clayton, who is batting .392, behind Sharts, Hartford walked Sharts four times in a row after the home run.

“When you’ve got Clayton behind him, it doesn’t pay to do that,” Northridge Coach Bill Kernen said.

There was no avoiding Clayton. He hit a grand slam, a single and had six runs batted in. Clayton (7-2) also started on the mound, struck out seven in six innings and earned his fifth consecutive victory.

Northridge (23-10-1) tallied early and often, leading, 10-0, after four innings and finishing with a shutout by the largest margin in school history.

“The big plus as far as the score was being able to save Clayton some pitches,” Kernen said. “We were able to get Clayton out after six innings.”

Hartford (0-8) concludes a nine-game California trip today. Hartford began the spring-break swing with a 7-6 loss to Northridge, but rather than springing ahead, Hartford appeared to be falling back in its second visit to CSUN.

“You get down a little bit early, and they’re tough to catch,” said Hartford Coach Dan Gooley, whose team mustered only six hits. “That’s an excellent baseball team. You make a mistake against them, and they’ll really hurt you.”

The first mistake was pitching to Sharts at all. Sharts said he saw only two good pitches in six at-bats, and he hit the second one over the left-field fence.

Sharts’ home run, his 17th, nearly left a contrail in the hazy blue sky and completed a five-run second inning. The Matadors scored five more in the fourth when Clayton had a two-run single and Scott Richardson hit a three-run home run.

Northridge, ranked 20th by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America, added two runs in the sixth, and finished with a seven-run eighth. In that inning, Clayton hit a hanging breaking ball for his grand slam, and Mike Solar hit a two-run home run.

Kyle Washington, Solar, Andy Hodgins, Mike Sims and Dave Eggert each added two hits to Northridge’s 15-hit attack. “It was one of those days you look forward to hitting,” Clayton said. “You can’t wait to get up there.”

Shockey missed the game after having fluid drained from his right knee but he is expected to play in today’s game against San Luis Obispo. Vigo has an injured right hamstring and is out indefinitely.

Their replacements--Eggert and Dave Prosenko--were a combined two for seven with two walks and three runs scored.