Full Season Left CSUN on Empty

They were colossal victories meant to be savored, reflected upon and replayed in the minds of Cal State Northridge baseball players.

But there was no time.

A mere 14 hours after toppling perennial powers Mississippi State, 20-19, and Stanford, 4-3, Saturday in the NCAA West Regional, Northridge was knocked off itself by Florida State, 9-2, and finished one game short of the College World Series.

Now the reflecting is bittersweet, a list of accomplishments as long as a foul line ending abruptly at an insurmountable wall.

“It’s a shame that eliminating Stanford and Mississippi State didn’t get Northridge into the World Series,” a Stanford official said Sunday. “What that team did was heroic.”

Many affiliated with Stanford, the tournament host, tipped their Cardinal caps to the upstart Matadors. Some of the praise was begrudging only because Stanford was not supposed to meet such an inglorious fate on its home field against a Cal State commuter school.

Northridge (52-18) accomplished a lot it wasn’t supposed to. Humiliating Fresno State with an NCAA-record 13 home runs in a 29-3 victory, for one. Winning the Western Athletic Conference title after being picked to finish fourth, for another.

The Matadors raised their level of play in the postseason, winning best-of-three series against Brigham Young and Santa Clara, then going 3-2 in the regional.

Supposedly an offensive powerhouse only because they played at hitter-friendly home park, the Matadors debunked that theory by averaging 11.4 runs and 2.6 home runs a game in 11 postseason games.

Recognition, so tough to come by for so long, now pours in for a team that set 41 single-season school records.

The Matadors are ranked No. 10 by Collegiate Baseball behind the eight World Series qualifiers and No. 9 USC.

Collegiate Baseball also chose Robert Fick as its All-American catcher ahead of Stanford’s A.J. Hinch, and Fick proved during the regional the selection was warranted by earning his way onto the all-tournament team.

Fick had the best offensive season of any player in the nation, setting school records with a .420 batting average, an .806 slugging percentage and 96 runs batted in. He led the team with 25 home runs, 24 doubles and 22 stolen bases.

Shortstop Adam Kennedy and pitcher Erasmo Ramirez were third-team All-American choices, and Fick and Kennedy leave today to try out for the U.S. Olympic team.

Fick, junior third baseman Eric Gillespie (.357, 23 homers) and senior pitcher Robert Crabtree (13-8, five saves) are certain to be selected in the major league draft next week.

Nathan Rice, a junior left-hander, probably will be drafted, and first baseman Grant Hohman and outfielders Jose Miranda and Kurt Airoso have outside chances.

Coach Mike Batesole realizes that in his first season he accomplished more than many coaches do in a career. Yet he has good reason to be optimistic about next season.

Kennedy, who batted .393 with 17 home runs, 94 runs, 81 RBIs and led the nation with 121 hits, should be a preseason All-American. In the regional, he batted .565 and led all players with 13 hits, three home runs, 12 RBIs and 10 runs.

Left-handers Ramirez (14-1) and Benny Flores (7-2), the winning pitchers against Mississippi State and Stanford, should be dominant starters.

Also returning will be right-handers Jason Cole (3-0), who had a complete-game victory over Northeastern Illinois in the regional, and Gary Stephenson (4-3).

Outfielders Miranda (.344), Airoso (.281, 12 homers) and Ryan Hurd (.389 with nine runs in the regional) probably will be back along with top reserves Casey Cheshier, Cesar Martinez and Jeremy Conrad.

Interim Coach Batesole will be sized up by Athletic Director Paul Bubb against anyone who applies for the position.

Anyone chosen over Batesole would have a tough act to follow.