Northridge Ends 3-Game Losing Streak : College baseball: Sims has three hits, including a home run, and Matadors play sound fundamental game in 8-3 victory over San Diego State.

Cal State Northridge ended a three-game losing streak Friday with ingredients that have been absent recently: timely hitting, sound defense and commanding pitching.

With an 8-3 victory over visiting San Diego State, Northridge (21-10) improved to 7-6 in the Western Athletic Conference Western Division. The Matadors trail Hawaii (4-2), Cal State Sacramento (7-5) and Fresno State (4-3).

“We’re not down on ourselves,” Northridge catcher Mike Sims said after going three for five, including his third home run.

“We know what we have to do and this is a good series to do it. These league games, you definitely have to win them all. And if we play like we know how, things will turn around automatically.”

Northridge Coach Bill Kernen would not go so far as to say the Matadors have to sweep San Diego State (13-26, 1-7) this weekend.

“I don’t like to put a team in a position where they have to win unless they’ll be eliminated,” he said. “It’s way too early to talk about that, but let’s put it this way--before it’s over we gotta sweep somebody at home.”

That means either the lowly Aztecs this weekend, No. 14 Hawaii on April 30-May 2 or No. 23 Fresno State on May 14-16.

Sims, who has a five-game hitting streak and has raised his average in three weeks from .250 to .298, also made a key play on the basepaths.

On Chris Olsen’s double in the fifth inning, he attempted to score from first base, arriving at home an instant after the throw. His momentum, not to mention his 6-foot, 200-pound frame, knocked the ball out of the hands of San Diego State catcher Erren O’Leary for a 5-1 lead.

Sims and Olsen teamed again in the seventh for a pair of runs. Sims led off with a double and Olsen followed one out later with a blast over the left-field fence for a 7-1 advantage.

It was Olsen’s personal-high fifth home run and his second in as many games.

The senior second baseman credited the rise in his average to assistant P.C. Shaw’s correction of a flaw in his stance but was at a loss to explain his newfound power.

“I’ve never had a power surge before, except in high school,” Olsen said. “But then, everybody has a power surge in high school.”

In the last six games Olsen is eight for 19 and has raised his average from .244 to .289.

“He’s given us a lot lately and that’s been great,” Kernen said. “That is an element we needed because he’s hitting sixth and we haven’t had much going on from sixth through ninth in the order.”

For the first time in 14 games the Matadors did not commit an error, and right-hander Keven Kempton (6-2) struck out four, walked only two and scattered nine hits for his WAC-leading eighth complete game.

“Coach Kernen and I talked before the game about telling yourself you can do something and getting it done,” Kempton said. “I proved it today. I felt in control and that’s the main thing.”

Matador Notes

For the first time this season, left-fielder David Prosenko did not start. Prosenko, who was replaced by Jonathan Campbell, is one for 16 in the past five games and is batting .255. Northridge Coach Bill Kernen said he sat Prosenko because he was the only slumping starter who had not been taken out of the lineup. Center fielder Joey Arnold returned after sitting out three games. Arnold, whose average had fallen to .237, doubled in four at-bats.