Old Hands Lift Northridge, 13-0

Kenny Kendrena and Greg Shockey might perform different roles for the Cal State Northridge baseball team, but in one respect the two are virtually indistinguishable.

Put either senior in a competitive situation and the result will be a lesson in intensity from beginning to end.

A 13-0 nonconference victory over Utah on Saturday at Northridge was a case in point, the pair helping the Matadors (7-4-1) continue their sharp turnaround from an 0-4 start.

“I put myself in the same place as Kenny,” said Shockey, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound center fielder who capped a three-hit performance with a sixth-inning grand slam. “Me and him are real focused as to what it takes to get it done in a game.

“Pool, badminton, it doesn’t matter what the sport is. We want to compete and win.”

After losing his first three decisions, Kendrena has been doing just that. The 5-10, 175-pound right-hander won his third game in a row with a dominating four-hit shutout that featured 11 strikeouts. He walked only three.

Kendrena (3-3) grew more tenacious as the game progressed and he struck out the last seven batters.

“I didn’t really feel like I started until the sixth inning,” said Kendrena, who has 35 strikeouts in his past three games. “For me it’s a high-energy, high-intensity deal.”

While Shockey and Kendrena led the charge, they received plenty of support: Northridge finished with 11 hits against four Utah pitchers.

Junior second baseman Scott Richardson extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single, double, triple, four runs batted in and two runs scored. He contributed to the Matadors’ season-high, seven-run sixth inning with a two-run single to help set the stage for Shockey’s second homer of the season.

Designated hitter Scott Mowl, making his first start, went two for three with an RBI. First baseman Mike Solar had an RBI single and two stolen bases, and left fielder Kyle Washington singled to increase his hitting streak to 10.

The Matadors held a 2-0 lead through five innings before the bottom fell out for Utah (4-11) and starter Guy Fowlks (0-1) in the sixth. Northridge sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning.

Utah loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, only to watch Kendrena record consecutive strikeouts to end the game.