Northridge Throws Pepperdine for Loss : College baseball: Shanahan’s home run turns back defending national champion Waves, 7-6.

They traveled more than 400 miles to settle a neighborly battle.

Southern California baseball rivals Cal State Northridge and Pepperdine, which split two games during the regular season, settled their differences in an error-prone game Friday in the second round of the NCAA West Regional at Packard Stadium.

With his first home run since March 13, Jason Shanahan’s solo shot in the fifth inning stood up in the Matadors’ 7-6 victory. The win advances the Matadors to the third round today at 11 a.m. PDT against No. 1-ranked Arizona State.

Northridge starter Keven Kempton answered questions about his sore right (throwing) elbow in the first inning when he aired out his fastball for the first time since May 18, when he gave up four hits and a walk and was replaced without retiring a batter against the Waves.

The 10-day break appeared to be the cure for Kempton (10-4), who struck out Matt McElreath with one on in the ninth to sew up the win, his 13th complete game of the season. Kempton allowed only three earned runs and six hits and two walks. He struck out seven. Each team committed three errors.

“There was no pain whatsoever,” Kempton said. “I felt butterflies though. I haven’t felt those the last two games.”

Waves Coach Andy Lopez was effusive in his praise of Kempton.

“By all rights he should have said, ‘Oh, my God, I’m facing Pepperdine,’ ” Lopez said. “Instead, he goes nine strong innings. He showed tremendous courage and determination.”

Northridge Coach Bill Kernen called it one of the outstanding performances he has ever witnessed.

“It takes a real competitive athlete to pull that off against a quality team,” Kernen said.

The Matadors (36-18), who were seeded second--ahead of defending national champion and third-seeded Pepperdine (41-16), gave Kempton a three-run lead in the third inning. David Prosenko reached on an error by Pepperdine first baseman John Sacchi and scored on Greg Shepard’s line drive to left field that Waves’ Kevin Dell’Amico lost in the twilight. The ball bounced in front of him and to his right, resulting in a double.

After Chris Olsen drew a walk and Andy Small hit into a double play, Mike Sims provided a run-scoring double to center field. Pepperdine center fielder Ryan Radmanovich misjudged the ball, partly because of the swirling desert wind.

The Waves struck back in the bottom of the inning on Sacchi’s leadoff double to right and a runs-scoring triple by Dell’Amico just inside the right-field line. Dell’Amico scored on David Lovell’s groundout. Kempton induced a popout and struck out McElreath to end the rally.

Keyaan Cook led off the fourth with a double to center and took third on Shanahan’s single to right. Cook scored on an error by Lovell, the Waves second baseman.

Pepperdine left-hander Mauricio Estavil then replaced right-handed starter Jason LeBlanc and struck out Shepard and Olsen. Small followed with a grounder that was mishandled by Sacchi, allowing Shanahan to score for a 5-2 lead.

The Matadors increased the lead to 7-2 in the fifth. Andy Hodgins led off with a double and scored on Cook’s one-out sacrifice fly. Then Shanahan homered to left.

“Its been a while,” he said. “Fortunately, I got a pitch down and in that I could turn on.”

Northridge threatened to add to its lead, but Prosenko (walk) and Shepard (single) were stranded by Olsen, who grounded out against reliever Josh Schulz.

In the bottom of the inning, Sacchi belted a one-out double to right, took third when Dell’Amico reached on an error by first Jason Shanahan. Lovell delivered a two-run double to right to pull the Waves within three runs, 7-4.

Pepperdine scored two more runs in the sixth. Radmanovich ripped a leadoff double and took third when Hodgins mishandled Mark Wasikowski’s grounder. After Kempton struck out Scott Vollmer, pinch hitter Pat O’Hara walked to load the bases. Then Kempton hit Sacchi, scoring Radmanovich. Wasikowski scored on a fielder’s choice, to make it, 7-6, and Lovell flied out to end the inning.

In the seventh, the Matadors squandered an opportunity to increase their lead. They loaded the bases on Shanahan’s single, Shepard’s intentional walk with two out and Olsen’s walk.

But Small, who homered twice to lead the Matadors to a 3-1 win over St. John’s on Thursday, struck out.

Pepperdine threatened in the bottom of the ninth when Lovell singled with one out. He was erased on Eric Ekdahl’s grounder and Kempton struck out McElreath to end it.