Catcher Leads a List of 14 CSUN Recruits

Catcher Matt Ceriani, a freshman from Vacaville, Calif., leads a list of 14 newcomers to the Cal State Northridge baseball program, the largest recruiting class ever under seventh-year Coach Bill Kernen.

Ceriani, one of five catchers on the Matador roster, is expected to battle for playing time with Ventura College transfer Robert Fick and two players who split time at the position last spring, Josh Smaler and Eric Gillespie. Freshman catcher Casey Cheshier (Agua Dulce Highland) also has signed.

Baserunners were successful on 98 of 126 stolen-base attempts against Northridge last season.

In all, Northridge has signed seven freshmen, including pitchers Carlos Velazco (Sylmar High), Benito Flores (Placentia El Dorado) and Erasmo Ramirez (Saddleback), outfielder Jeremy Conrad (San Clemente) and shortstop Adam Kennedy (Riverside North).

Junior college transfers include pitchers Rob Crabtree (Cypress), Juan Velazquez (Valley) and Jim Hunter (Whittier), second baseman Grant Hohman (Harbor), and Pierce infielders Kevin Milligan and Heath McElwee.

Ramirez, Hunter and Flores are left-handers. Northridge, which finished 25-30, didn’t have a left-handed pitcher last season.

Golf

Mike Turner of Sherman Oaks fired a one-under-par 72 Wednesday to earn one of four available berths at a U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifier at Soboba Springs Country Club in San Jacinto, Calif.

Turner, a left-hander who played at Cal State Northridge, finished in a two-way tie for second in a field of 71. The Mid-Amateur is Sept. 17-22 at Hazeltine National and Wayzata country clubs in suburban Minneapolis. The Mid-Amateur is open to players aged 25 or older.

Craig Steinberg of Van Nuys, Don Baker of Canoga Park and Craig Distere of Burbank qualified Tuesday at Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo.

Kyle Norris of Oxnard fired rounds of 80 and 77 to win the Ventura County Golf Assn. Championship this week at Spanish Hills and Las Posas country clubs.

Norris won by a shot over Bob Smiley of Ventura and Joe Howard of Oxnard. Doug Ragan of Oxnard was fourth at 160. Norris was four shots behind Smiley and three behind Howard entering the final round.

Derrick Goldie of Camarillo won the 14-15 division with a 75, while Brett Spaulding of Agoura won the 13-and-under division with a 74. Jill Kaopua of Oxnard won the girls’ title with a 36-hole total of 156.

It was the final VCJGA event of the season.

Softball

The Tarzana Pirates (11-5), an Amateur Softball Assn. men’s modified fast-pitch team, are playing for a national championship this weekend in Spokane, Wash.