CSUN Coasts Past Loyola, 10-2

Fog rolled in off the Pacific Ocean during the seventh inning.

Conversely, the personal haze surrounding Cal State Northridge seniors Josh Smaler and Jason Shanahan had long since parted by then.

Both entered Sunday’s game against Loyola Marymount with averages of .200 or lower. Oh yeah, they were aware of it.

In fact, the pair spoke on the matter before the game. Everybody had been participating in the team’s offensive fun but these two, who are both returning starters.

“We just wanted to contribute, basically,” Smaler said. “Everybody else has been bashing balls all over the place.”

Both chipped in two hits as unbeaten Northridge completed a three-game sweep of the Lions with a 10-2 victory at George Page Field.

Smaler, an outfielder from Agoura High, was in the middle of two key rallies. He singled to help start a two-run second inning that gave the Matadors a 3-0 lead, then helped put Loyola Marymount (2-4) away four innings later.

In the sixth, Smaler led off with an infield single. Before the inning was over, Loyola Marymount had committed three errors and Northridge (6-0) had a comfortable 8-0 lead.

Shanahan drove in three runs to help stave off another slow start. Shanahan slumped for the first month of 1994 before hitting his stride to finish with a team-high .342 average.

“I’m making this too much of a habit, I think,” Shanahan said.

Right-hander Rob Crabtree (2-0), a junior transfer from Cypress College, struck out 11 in eight innings and didn’t walk a batter. No news there. In 17 innings, Crabtree has fanned 23, walked one and allowed three earned runs. He threw only 95 pitches Sunday and again relied mainly on a diving split-finger fastball.

“He’s legit,” Northridge Coach Bill Kernen said. “That thing is hard to hit.”

All things considered, it was Northridge’s strongest game. The Matadors had 10 hits--including catcher Robert Fick’s fourth homer--played errorless defense and received a strong pitching effort.

“Usually, when that’s the case, 10-2 is low-scoring,” Kernen said. “We played well in all three facets, and you’ll win those games most of the time.”