Little Goes Long Way for CSUN in 4-2 Victory Over Long Beach

After one weary look at the score book, Cal State Northridge baseball Coach Bill Kernen summed up his team’s performance Tuesday against visiting Cal State Long Beach.

“Six hits?” Kernen said. “Didn’t seem like we had any.”

The Matadors didn’t--at least until the sixth inning. From there, Northridge managed six singles--including two that never left the infield. But they pushed across one run on a groundout and another on a sacrifice fly to eke out a 4-2 nonconference victory at Matador Field in a game that was about as attractive as a third-stage smog alert.

“We just came out dead,” Northridge second baseman Scott Richardson said. “We didn’t come out the way we normally are. We weren’t really there.”

Northridge (33-9-1) was silenced for five innings by junior right-hander Michael McLain, who retired 15 of the Matadors’ first 17 batters. Richardson drew a two-out walk in the first and Kyle Washington reached base on an error in the fifth.

Meanwhile, 13th-ranked Long Beach (26-17-1) reached senior right-hander Kenny Kendrena (9-4) for a run in the second when Johnny Mancha’s single drove in Eddie Christian from second.

In the third, Long Beach stretched the lead to 2-0 on a single by Jason Giambi that rolled past Washington in left field, allowing Cobi Cradle to score from first.

The Matadors’ “big inning” was the sixth--which began, typically enough, when Chris Olsen’s chopper to third went for a hit. Greg Shockey followed with a walk and Andy Hodgins was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Richardson’s fielder’s choice drove in Olsen from third, then Greg Shepard singled to drive in Shockey with the second run.

After Mike Solar was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, Washington lifted a fly ball to center field to drive in Richardson and give the eighth-ranked Matadors a 3-2 lead.

“Usually, some small thing will trigger us,” Richardson said. “(Olsen)’s chop single. . . . that’s going to get you started. That makes up for all the balls you hit well that don’t fall.”

Kendrena retired 14 of the final 15 batters and finished with nine strikeouts. He scattered seven singles.

Northridge scored its final run in the eighth, again with the aid of an infield single.

Shepard started the rally with a one-out single--his second hit--and advanced to second on Solar’s single to third base. Mike Sims’ looping single to center drove in Shepard.