Northridge Pays Back Fresno State on Way to Title

The memories have not faded, but the demons have been expelled.

Cal State Northridge has won a championship. At Fresno State’s Beiden Field. Against the host Bulldogs.

In a rematch of last season’s West II Regional finalists, Northridge pounded Fresno State, 10-5, before 3,526 Saturday night to win the Fresno tournament. The Matadors were runners-up in their previous three tournaments.

The last and most crushing of those championship losses came on the same clay as this victory--300 days earlier.

It was then that Todd Johnson capped a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth by driving in the winning run in Fresno State’s 6-5 victory.

The losing pitcher was Kenny Kendrena.

So who should square off again in the ninth inning Saturday? The same pair. Only this time Kendrena struck out Johnson to end the game.

“That was a nice little bit of irony there,” Kendrena said. “When he stepped up I just said, ‘This time it’s our’s.’ ”

Which is not to say the Matadors consider their budding rivalry with the Bulldogs as being even.

“That last prize they got was a little bit more,” Kendrena said. “But we got this one done. We’re not second place anymore.”

Kendrena, who was among four Matadors named to the all-tournament team, played a key role. In his earning his second win of the tournament, he struck out 10, did not a walk, scattered nine hits and survived four errors.

“I’ve had a dream about this since last May 26th,” Kendrena said. “The whole thing was like slow motion.”

Matadors Scott Richardson, Andy Hodgins and Greg Shepard joined Kendrena on the all-tournament team. Richardson was selected most valuable player.

Richardson was three for five, scored four runs, drove in two and hit a home run in the championship game. He batted .407 in the tournament, third on the team behind Hodgins (.448) and Shepard (.435).

In winning all six tournament games, the Matadors (17-5-1) batted .303 and averaged nine runs a game.

Northridge blew open a close game against Fresno with a six-run sixth inning in which it sent up 11 batters--seven of whom reached base in one stretch.

The rally started with one out when the Matadors loaded the bases on singles by Mike Sims and Denny Vigo and a walk to Chris Olsen.

Richardson kept the string going with an RBI single to right, which was followed by another run-scoring single to right by Hodgins. Greg Shockey then hit a two-run single to left that chased Fresno starter Mike Salazar.

In came Bobby Kazmirski, a former Agoura High standout, who was greeted by yet another run-scoring single--this one by Shepard.

Northridge’s seven-hit inning was the knockout blow.

Fresno (19-11) scored twice on four hits in the eighth, but Kendrena (5-4) buckled down to retire the side in order in the ninth.

Richardson gave Northridge a jump-start, leading off the first by slugging his third home run.

Fresno State tied the score in the second and went ahead, 2-1, in the third. Northridge tied the score in its half and again it was Richardson providing the spark, this time with a leadoff double down the left-field line.

Northridge took the lead for good at 4-2 in the fourth on Hodgins’ two-run double.