Late Rally Not Enough for Northridge

Cal State Northridge rallied for two runs in the ninth inning, but left the tying runs on base and lost to Texas A&M;, 8-6, in a nonconference baseball game Saturday at Olsen Field, the second in a three-game series.

The Matadors (11-8), who won the opener Friday, 4-2, spotted Texas A&M; an 8-1 lead on another cold, misty afternoon, but the Northridge hitters warmed up just enough to give the Aggies (9-6-1) a scare.

Trailing, 2-1, with one out, Northridge had runners at first and second in the third inning when designated hitter Andy Shaw lined a single to left that would have loaded the bases, but Eric Gillespie rounded third and was tagged out while trying to get back to the base. A strikeout ended the inning.

“The third-inning really ended up being important,” Cal State Northridge Coach Bill Kernen said. “We put a few hits together, and then we had somebody round third base and fall down and get thrown out.

“It didn’t look like it was that important when it was 8-1, but it does at the end when it’s a two-run game. We’ll never know how many runs we would have scored in that inning, but we had things going pretty well.”

Northridge pitcher Keven Kempton (1-1), making his third start since arm surgery last year, allowed eight hits and five runs in two-plus innings.

The Matadors climbed back into the game with two runs in the sixth and a solo homer by Jason Shanahan in the seventh. Shanahan, who had an RBI double in the ninth, went three for five despite losing two hits on diving catches by center fielder Ryan Huffman.

Northridge had a chance to catch Texas A&M; in the ninth. Gillespie and Shanahan doubled, and Shaw had an RBI single to make it 8-6. But a fly ball and a double-play grounder ended the game.

The series will conclude with a single game this afternoon.