Matadors Stagger at End, but Still Whip Wyoming : College baseball: Hodgins hits grand slam in Northridge’s 16-8 victory. Cowboys score seven runs in the ninth inning to frustrate Contreras.

Marco Contreras went into the ninth inning Saturday with a two-hitter and a 15-run lead. Fifteen frustrating minutes later, the Cal State Northridge right-hander emerged with a seven-hitter and a 16-8 nonconference victory over visiting Wyoming.

After striking out the leadoff batter in the ninth, Contreras (3-1) issued two walks and allowed five hits, including two home runs.

A solitary postgame stroll in the outfield provided no answers to the rapid increase in his earned-run average from 1.07 to 2.86.

He suffered a similar collapse last weekend in a one-run loss to Cal State Sacramento.

“A two-hitter and then the whole performance ruined by the ninth inning,” Contreras said, shaking his head. “I can’t pinpoint it. I wasn’t tired. I felt I could still do it. Maybe I was squeezing the strike zone too much. Maybe I was too fine.

“The umpire was calling the game differently than in the earlier innings, but I’ve got to deal with that. I’ve got to grow up and learn. I’m sure the coach (Bill Kernen) will have some words for me tomorrow that will open my eyes.”

Kernen postponed his usual postgame team meeting until this morning because he was so upset with the performance of the 13th-ranked Matadors.

“We played (poorly). And we didn’t finish the game,” Kernen said. “I have no idea how we got 16 runs.

“We’re just having a hard time handling success, whether it is in the individual framework of a game or overall.”

Although Northridge (13-2) scored five runs in the first inning on three walks, two hits, an error and a hit batsman, the Matadors didn’t knock Wyoming starter Mike Moses out of the game until the seventh.

“When you got him on the ropes, you might want to get four more runs and get them (Wyoming) into the bullpen,” Kernen said. “But we’re not putting things away.”

The fifth-year coach also said his team’s defense, which played almost flawlessly the first 10 games of the season, is falling apart.

Indeed, Northridge made three errors and turned only one double play.

“Our defense was nails,” first baseman Jason Shanahan said. “Now, I don’t know what is wrong. It is one of those things we’ve got to fight through.”

Along with Contreras’ first eight innings, the highlight of the game was provided by shortstop Andy Hodgins, a senior from Simi Valley High.

Hodgins, who surpassed the .200 mark only Friday with a two-hit effort, went three for five, including a grand slam. The home run--his first of the season--gave the Matadors a 10-1 lead in the seventh inning.

“It is good to see him run into a ball,” Kernen said. “That was a lot more important than it looked like at the time.”