Contreras Finds Form in Record Performance : College baseball: CSUN right-hander shows early-season brilliance in his third shutout, a 6-0 win over Hawaii.

It was a long time coming.

More than a month, in fact. Nobody knows better than the pitcher himself, who over the past few weeks had trouble surviving on the mound for even the shortest length of time.

Yet the big picture was even more important. Sure, Marco Contreras earned a spot in the Cal State Northridge record book by defeating Hawaii, 6-0, in a Western Athletic Conference game Saturday at Northridge.

It marked Contreras’ third shutout, setting a Matador single-season mark, but moreover, the outing suggested that the junior right-hander had returned to his early-season form. “It took a while,” he said. “It feels good any time you’re in the record book. But I feel better about throwing nine full, quality innings.”

There had been little quality or quantity lately. Contreras (5-3) opened the season with consecutive shutouts; what followed generally was not pretty.

His earned-run average for the period after the two shutouts and before Saturday’s shutout was 5.37; his last victory came March 20. In fact, two starts ago, Contreras was yanked after one inning.

It was a different result this time. Despite facing a lineup loaded with eight left-handed hitters, Contreras gave up six singles, struck out six and walked one. His ERA improved to 3.68.

Coach Bill Kernen, typically rather somber, cracked a smile while discussing Contreras’ six-hit effort. He admitted that Northridge (28-15, 10-10 in conference play) needed the shot in the arm.

“It was a commanding performance,” Kernen said. “He really put it all together.

“He was in a tough spot for a while. It was an important win for him and an important win for us.”

The first inning started as so many have recently--with Contreras in trouble. A single and an infield error put runners at first and third with none out, but Contreras struck out the next two batters and got the third on a grounder.

Defense bailed him out in the fifth, when Contreras surrendered three hits. Trailing, 3-0, Hawaii (30-19, 8-9) had runners on first and second with one out when Eddie Moulaison singled. Right fielder Greg Shepard came up firing, and threw out Kirk Taguchi at home.

“It surprised me (that they waved him home),” Contreras said.

Particularly after Contreras retired Corey Ishigo on a ground ball for the third out. Thereafter, Hawaii managed only two singles. Contreras retired the last eight in a row.

The Northridge offense put the slam on junior right-hander Matt Apana (10-4), rolling up 10 hits, including home runs by Keyaan Cook and Andy Small. Apana, Hawaii’s leader in victories, had served up only two homers in 100 2/3 previous innings.

Andy Hodgins, David Prosenko and Shepard each had two hits for Northridge. Shepard reached base in each of his five plate appearances.

Contreras kept Hawaii at bay with a devilish variety of pitches, including several off-speed offerings thrown from different arm angles.

“I probably threw more changeups than I have all season,” he said.

The result was a welcome change of pace too.