CSUN Scores at Record Clip Against Southern Utah, 30-1

Which of the following did not take place during Cal State Northridge’s 30-1 nonconference baseball victory over Southern Utah on Saturday at Matador Field?

A. The Matadors set school records for runs and margin of victory in a game.

B. Northridge second baseman Scott Richardson blasted two home runs and tied a single-game school record with eight runs batted in.

C. Northridge designated hitter Scott Mowl hit two homers in a game for the second day in a row.

D. A senior citizens’ softball team tried to add Southern Utah to its upcoming schedule.

The 10th-ranked Matadors (29-7-1) completed an easy sweep of the Thunderbirds (4-38) in a game that was at times painful to watch.

“We did as much as we could to be in a position where we weren’t purposely trying to embarrass somebody,” said Northridge Coach Bill Kernen, whose team hit six homers. “But as far as swinging the bat is concerned, I’m not going to go up and tell my guys to make an out.”

Southern Utah, a non-scholarship Division I independent program, was outhit in the three games, 55-15. Northridge hit 16 home runs and outscored Southern Utah, 63-5.

With the wind blowing out Saturday, Richardson led a 21-hit Northridge barrage with his first grand slam in the second inning, a three-run homer in the fifth and a run-scoring double in the sixth. He tied Shawn Noonan’s 1975 school record of eight RBIs in a game.

“Certainly the wind helped us out,” Richardson said. “But a lot of the balls we hit were smoked.”

Northridge, which sent at least nine batters to the plate in an inning three times, broke school records of 29 runs and a 27-run margin of victory established against Whittier in 1985.

Mowl, a senior, had four hits, including his eighth and ninth homers, and five RBIs. He finished the series with nine hits and 12 RBIs.

In the second inning, Richardson and Mowl hit back-to-back homers and Greg Shepard (four for five, six RBIs) added a two-run homer two batters later. Greg Shockey added three hits, Chris Olsen had a pair of two-run singles and Andy Hodgins went two for three and scored four runs.

Left-hander John Bushart (4-1) struck out nine and allowed four hits in seven innings.

Four Southern Utah pitchers combined for 11 walks, five hit batsmen and four wild pitches.

With a runner on in the fourth, Northridge senior Mike Solar hit his team-leading 10th homer.