Matadors Bully Toreros With Six Home Runs, 21-7

When Cal State Northridge matched up with the University of San Diego in a baseball game between teams named after bullfighters, the Matadors made it clear to the Toreros that there would be no bull.

Northridge pounded 17 hits, including six home runs, en route to a 21-7 nonconference victory at Matador Field.

The Matadors (40-12) reached the 40-victory plateau for the first time since 1991.

Northridge’s third 20-run game of the season comes in the wake of two consecutive losses at Fresno State last weekend in which the Matadors scored just four runs on 12 hits in the final two games of a three-game series.

“The main difference is that we simplified some things on offense,” Northridge Coach Mike Batesole said. “We worked the counts a little and got ahead in the count.”

The offense couldn’t have surfaced at a better time for the Matadors, as they head to San Diego State this weekend for a three-game series with the Western Athletic Conference’s Western Division lead on the line.

Northridge is in first, with San Diego State one game back.

Kurt Airoso, Robert Fick and Eric Gillespie--the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 hitters in the Matadors’ lineup--combined to drive in 13 runs on five hits, including two home runs, in a game that saw 11 pitchers take the mound.

Fick, who played first base instead of his usual position of catcher, increased his team-leading runs batted in total to 66 with five against the Toreros (19-21).

The San Diego defense shaded toward left field the entire game, but paid for it when the Matadors broke the game open with a seven-run seventh inning.

Already leading comfortably, 12-5, the Matadors loaded the bases with two out. Fick ripped his second triple of the game down the right-field line.

Gillespie, who is tied with Fick for the team lead in home runs at 17, followed with his second homer of the game.

David Stevenson added a solo shot, his fourth, that put the Matadors ahead, 18-5.

Northridge’s Nathan Rice (5-1), the first of five Matador pitchers, allowed two runs on five hits and struck out two in 3 1/3 innings.

San Diego’s Mark Vallecorsa (0-1), starting for the second time this season, gave up four runs on four hits in 1 1/3 innings.