Northridge Faithful’s Dream Has Come True

Short in number, long on faith, the true believers of the Cal State Northridge baseball team will pilgrimage to Santa Clara this weekend, following the Matadors on their final trip before heading to an NCAA Division I regional.

It is a tight-knit group of parents, girlfriends, siblings and the purest of baseball fans who have claimed seats on the Matadors’ magic-carpet ride to a national-best 47 victories, the Western Athletic Conference championship, and a certain regional berth.

Northridge (47-15) faces Santa Clara (39-20), champion of the West Coast Conference, in a best-of-three series beginning Friday. At stake is an automatic regional berth. Although the Matadors undoubtedly will gain an at-large berth, they will be seeded higher if they win this series.

“The way this team pulls together in every situation is so special,” said Joe Skarda, Northridge’s self-proclaimed “No. 1 fan.”

“They weren’t expected to do much and they’ve exceeded everyone’s expectations but their own.”

WAC coaches picked Northridge to finish fourth in the Western Division, and for good reason. Coming off two consecutive losing seasons, the Matadors’ fortunes rested with 31-year-old Mike Batesole, a rookie interim coach whose only proven pitcher was Robert Crabtree.

Batesole’s first move was to thrust several key players into new positions. Adam Kennedy moved from left field to shortstop, Eric Gillespie moved from right field to third base and Grant Hohman moved from second base to first.

“We went in with a lot of question marks but based on the amount of work everyone put in during the fall and spring, I honestly believed this team could win,” Batesole said.

He was right. Northridge quickly gained national respect by bolting to a 19-1 record, the only loss coming in the third game in sub-freezing weather against nationally ranked Texas.

The Matadors capped a 14-game winning streak by humiliating Fresno State, 29-3, while hitting an NCAA-record 13 home runs. Northridge rose to a No. 3 national ranking on Feb. 26 and has been ranked in the top 15 since.

After losing five of eight, the Matadors streaked again, winning 14 of 15. Although they are 11-8 in the past month, the Matadors have won the ones that mattered, clinching the WAC Western Division and winning two of three against BYU for the overall WAC title.

Along the way, Northridge fared well in nonconference games against ranked opponents. In addition to winning two of three at Texas, the Matadors are 2-0 against both Long Beach State and Pepperdine. Northridge defeated UCLA and lost to Fullerton and USC.

The No. 1 preseason goal--to win the WAC--has been accomplished. Now the players openly talk about what before the season seemed farfetched--a berth in the College World Series.

“I believe we can go all the way,” said Jose Miranda, whose brother, Tony, played in the College World Series with Cal State Fullerton the past two seasons. “I’ve been there, seen the atmosphere, and guys are asking me about it all the time now.”

To make it, Northridge must employ the same ingredients used so far. Reasons for the Matadors’ success are as numerous as their victory total, but a few stand out.

THE ALL-AMERICAN FIVE

No way Fick, Kennedy, Gillespie, Crabtree and Erasmo Ramirez all will make the All-American team. But they all consistently produce like All-Americans.

Fick, Kennedy and Gillespie have combined for 58 home runs and 54 doubles in 57 games, driving in 216 runs and scoring 227. Their numbers are unmatched by any trio in the nation.

Kennedy and Gillespie give Northridge strength on the left side of the infield and Fick has allowed only two passed balls.

The right-handed Crabtree and left-handed Ramirez have combined for 25 victories, more than any tandem in the nation. They do not beat themselves, issuing only 56 walks in 229 2/3 innings.

And all five have histories of winning. Fick played for an American Legion national championship team, Crabtree for a junior college state championship team, Gillespie and Kennedy for Southern Section championship teams, and Ramirez for a Colt World Series championship team.

THE RIGHT SUPPORTING CAST

The left-handed hitting Fick (.421), Kennedy (.393), Gillespie (.355) and Miranda (.347) own the team’s top four batting averages, but the Matadors have a record of 15-4 against left-handed pitchers because their lineup is balanced by productive right-handed hitters.

Hohman (.292), center fielder Kurt Airoso (.299) and designated hitter David Stevenson (.322) have combined for 32 home runs and 40 doubles, driving in 146 runs and scoring 143.

Others have played key roles. Freshman left fielder Ryan Hurd has eight home runs and had a 13-game hitting streak. Second baseman Cesar Martinez is 17 for 47 with 15 RBIs in the last month.

Jeremy Conrad (.273) and Casey Cheshier (.243) have enjoyed lengthy hot streaks and have combined for 19 extra-base hits and 45 RBIs.

The strength of the pitching behind Crabtree and Ramirez is in its variety. Left-hander Benny Flores (5-2) provides a strong third starter, and the rapid improvement of Nathan Rice (6-2) gives the Matadors a quality left-hander out of the bullpen.

From the right side, Gary Stephenson (4-2) has excelled in long and short relief roles. Sidearm-throwing Andy Settle (1-0) and Juan Velazquez (1-0) give right-handed hitters fits in short spurts, and Jason Cole (2-0) and Evan Howland (3-0) have been effective.

THE LITTLE THINGS

For a team that has slugged a school-record 116 home runs, Northridge does a remarkable job bunting, executing the safety squeeze and seldom allowing the lead runner to be thrown out in sacrifice situations. Kennedy has 17 bunt singles.

Conversely, Northridge plays aggressive bunt defense. Hohman, in particular, charges hard and on several occasions has thrown out the lead runner. A shortstop in high school and a second baseman last season, Hohman plays first base with the agility of a middle infielder.

Northridge takes full advantage of a new NCAA rule that awards a batter first base regardless of whether he tries to avoid being hit by the pitch. Kennedy, the leadoff hitter, has been hit 16 times and Hohman has been hit 15 times.

The Matadors’ defensive weakness is throwing, but a sound cutoff system and Hohman’s ability to catch errant throws have made this shortcoming less noticeable.

WILLINGNESS TO ADJUST

A steadfast rule of Batesole’s is for hitters to lay off curveballs until they have two strikes. But after BYU’s Scott Haws beat the Matadors last Friday by throwing about 150 curves in 193 pitches, Batesole gave his hitters the green light the following day.

Hohman, who struck out four times against Haws, hit two home runs and a double on curves as Northridge won, 23-15.

Perhaps Batesole is too young to be set in his ways. No rule is absolute and players feel comfortable experimenting.

Crabtree came up with a new pitch--an overhand screwball--while warming up against San Diego State two weeks ago before the season’s most crucial game. A sidearm screwball taught by Cowgill is Crabtree’s best pitch against right-handed hitters, but he wanted something that could fool Travis Lee, the Aztecs’ left-handed hitting All-American.

Lee came up in the ninth inning with a runner on first, and Crabtree threw the overhand screwball on the outside corner. Lee tried to pull it, grounded into a double play started by Hohman, and Northridge maintained its grip on first place in the WAC.

RELENTLESSLY POSITIVE COACHES

Batesole and coaches Dan Cowgill and Chris Stevens seldom utter a discouraging word.

“Our coaches never chew us out during games, and that enables us to stay loose,” Gillespie said. “Criticism is saved for practice. Even after games, nobody is singled out. It’s always, ‘The team could improve this,’ or, ‘The team should have done that.’ ”

Martinez, a junior from Pierce College, was the team’s weak link much of the season, making errors and batting less than .200. Batesole was asked if a lineup change was in order at second base.

“Sometimes a guy like Cesar turns into the best story of the season,” he said. “I believed in him when I recruited him and I still believe in him.”

Martinez is batting better than .350 the past month and his defense has improved steadily. “Coach Batesole gave me so many chances to prove him right that I am doing just that,” he said.

For Martinez and a dugout full of teammates, greater opportunities await.