Cook Heats Up in Northridge Win : College baseball: Second baseman belts homer and double to lift CSUN past Hawaii, 10-8.

It had been so long since he’d said so long , Keyaan Cook needed a refresher course in the lost art of the long ball.

The Cal State Northridge second baseman hit seven homers last year, but hadn’t muscled one out in the first 19 games this season.

An hour before his mates showed for their Western Athletic Conference opener against Hawaii, Cook took extra batting practice in an attempt to regain his power stroke.

“I was trying to get the feel of hitting one out,” he said. “I haven’t hit the ball completely good.”

Cook crushed two balls for extra bases Friday, including his first homer, as Northridge downed 24th-ranked Hawaii, 10-8, at Matador Field.

With the wind blowing out, it was like old times for the Matadors, who racked up eight extra-base hits, including a season-high four homers. The Matadors (10-10) managed 10 homers over their first 19 games, 17 of which were played on the road. “It was nice not being on a bus for a couple of hours,” said Cook, who also doubled.

A bus token would have come in handy for the outfielders tracking the blasts hit off Hawaii right-hander Bobby Moore. Josh Smaler, Eric Gillespie and Tyler Nelson also homered.

Cook’s leadoff homer in the fourth tied the score, 3-3, but the inning was far from over. Gillespie, a freshman who recently was elevated to the leadoff spot, followed with a two-run homer. His run-scoring double in the eighth extended the Matador lead to 8-6 and chased Moore (4-1).

Gillespie, who leads the team with four homers and 27 runs batted in, raised his average to .376. So much for the transition from high school. “I’m hoping this is it,” Gillespie cracked.

Two batters after Gillespie’s double, first baseman Jason Shanahan doubled on reliever Mark Johnson’s first pitch to drive home two runs for a seemingly comfy 10-6 lead. It turned out, however, the Matadors needed the runs.

Marco Contreras (3-3) threw his sixth complete game in as many starts, but it was no slam dunk. Last year, he beat Hawaii, 6-0. This time, his shutout was history before an out was recorded. Hawaii scored three times in the first.

“We didn’t panic,” Coach Bill Kernen said. “Probably because we’re so used to it.”

Contreras gave up a two-run homer to Dean Hashimoto in the ninth to bring Hawaii within 10-8, and two out later, Trey Garman doubled to bring the tying run to the plate. Yet Contreras struck out Chad Drown--on his 163rd pitch--and slammed his glove to the ground as he stared down the Hawaii dugout.

Several times during the game, the Rainbows sang and clapped in unison after Contreras allowed a hit. And he allowed 13.

“That just fired me up,” Contreras said. “Go play softball if they want to do that stuff.”

Better yet, like his four teammates, play long ball.