CSUN’s D’Aoust Gets Early Shelling

Aaron D’Aoust had a week to think about it.

He’ll have just as long to analyze the results.

D’Aoust, making his first scheduled start of the season, gave up seven runs to Cal State Sacramento in the first inning Sunday as the Hornets rolled over Cal State Northridge, 17-8, in a Western Athletic Conference game at Hornet Field.

D’Aoust, who earned a surprise start a week earlier and defeated 24th-ranked Hawaii, earned a spot in the rotation. For the first time, the former reliever had a week to prepare for his start.

“I don’t think that had anything to do with it,” D’Aoust said. “I felt fine--I just didn’t get it done.”

The results, D’Aoust admitted, were disappointing to say the least.

“I pretty much gave them a good foothold,” said D’Aoust, a junior transfer from Long Beach City College. “They sure got off to a good start.”

Like a rocket leaving the launch pad, in fact. This one started like Friday’s game ended when Sacramento battered Marco Contreras for seven consecutive hits in the eighth inning to come from behind to win, 10-6.

Sacramento, which won two of three in the series, rolled up seven consecutive hits to open the bottom of the first and had a 5-0 lead before D’Aoust recorded an out.

Before the fire was extinguished, Sacramento led, 7-0.

“I told the players after the first inning that seven wouldn’t be enough,” Northridge Coach Bill Kernen said. “And I was right.”

But every time Northridge (15-12, 4-2 in WAC play) got within relative striking range, Sacramento (13-11, 3-3) answered--and then some.

Northridge gave up a season high in runs and tied a season high in hits allowed (19). D’Aoust, who had the lowest earned-run average on the team (2.19) entering the game, gave up 10 hits and 10 earned runs.

“Obviously, he didn’t have it,” Kernen said. “He’d pitched well six or seven times in a row. Today he got rocked.”

Though it came early, the game’s most important blast was a three-run homer by Derek Brown in the second inning that gave Sacramento a 10-1 lead. D’Aoust (4-1) was replaced by Jason Vargas to open the third.

Northridge never got closer than five runs thereafter.

Vargas pitched two scoreless innings, but Sacramento jumped all over right-hander Evan Howland in the late innings. Howland, a sophomore right-hander, gave up seven runs in three innings as the Hornets blew the game open.

All in all, it was not a great day to be a Matador pitcher. The Sacramento runs all were earned, raising the team ERA from 5.29 to 5.76.

“The kicked our . . . today,” Kernen said. “We got blasted.”

Joey Arnold slugged a two-run homer in the eighth as the Matadors scored three runs to close within 13-8, but Sacramento scored four more off Howland in the bottom half to close the door.

Arnold, catcher Josh Smaler and second baseman Keyaan Cook led the Matadors with two hits each.

D’Aoust, hoping to step forward and assume the role as the team’s third starter in place of injured Keven Kempton, said he wants another shot.

Kernen said D’Aoust will get one. “I’m not done,” D’Aoust said. “I’m definitely not done.”

Matador Notes

First baseman Jason Shanahan drove in a run in the seventh with a double. He has driven in runs in 11 of the past 12 games. . .

Second baseman Keyaan Cook has hit safely in eight consecutive games and is 15 for 30 over that span. Earlier this season, Cook had a streak in which he scored in eight consecutive games.