CSUN Bowed, Beaten by Long Beach : College baseball: No. 14 Matadors’ 20-2 setback is their worst since 1989.

In the words of Cal State Northridge baseball Coach Bill Kernen, “When the game turns on you, it can get real ugly.”

How ugly?

It doesn’t get much uglier than the 20-2 loss the 14th-ranked Matadors absorbed Tuesday in a nonconference game against visiting Cal State Long Beach.

The game marked the most runs allowed and the largest margin of defeat suffered by Northridge since a 24-5 loss to United States International in 1989.

The 49ers (13-12) collected 21 hits against five Northridge pitchers.

“You can’t expect too much offensively when you don’t get it done from the mound,” said Kernen, whose team fell to 17-5. “We’ve had a lot of good things happen to us and we can’t get our heads down over any particular game. We’ve got a job to do in the (Western Athletic Conference), and that’s what we have to keep our minds on. You’ve got to take your lumps when you get ‘em. You have to take it like a man.”

Third baseman Andy Small said he will use the disappointing loss as motivation for this weekend’s series against WAC Western Division leader Cal State Sacramento.

“You can’t just forget it,” Small said. “Personally, I’m gonna get out here early (today) and take more ground balls and extra hitting and get geared up for the weekend. I don’t think we’re going to come back out (today) and feel sorry for ourselves.”

Northridge freshman starter Evan Howland (1-2) lasted less than three innings and gave up five runs and five hits, including a solo home run. He also walked three, two of whom scored.

Johnny Najar, a transfer from Fresno State who played for San Fernando High, made his third relief appearance in seven days and allowed eight runs on nine hits and two walks.

Najar was lifted in the sixth inning for Steven Morales after surrendering a three-run home run to Kevin Curtis that put the 49ers ahead 12-0.

It was Morales’ first appearance since last April 4 when he suffered a season-ending stress fracture in his right (throwing) elbow. Since January, he has been hampered by a strain in his right forearm and elbow.

Although Morales did not allow an earned run, he gave up three singles, two doubles, and a two-run homer by Jeff Liefer.

“I feel it was a step forward to be back on the mound,” Morales said. “It was probably better that I got hit because I said, ‘The heck with it’ and I started throwing harder.”

With the Matadors trailing, 19-0, Morales was pulled in favor of Jason Van Heerde, a sophomore from Rialto Eisenhower High, who got a fly out to left to end the 10-hit, 12-run sixth inning.

In the next two innings, Van Heerde retired the 49ers in order, capping his second impressive appearance in as many appearances.

Van Heerde was relieved in the top of the ninth by first baseman-pitcher Jason Shanahan, who surrendered a solo home run.

The Matadors did not get a hit against Long Beach starter Daniel Choi (8-1) until the fifth inning when Greg Shepard lashed a two-out single to center.

Choi, briefly a member of the Northridge team in 1991, allowed only four hits and struck out seven in seven innings.