Northridge Blows 4-Run Lead in 8-7 Loss to San Diego State

Cal State Northridge squandered a four-run lead and lost to San Diego State, 8-7, in a baseball game Wednesday night at San Diego State.

The Matadors (31-17-1), in need of victories against Division I opponents in order to gain entry to an NCAA regional, led, 5-1, after three innings.

The Aztecs (28-13-1) trailed, 6-2, when they rallied for four runs in the fifth. They added two runs in the sixth.

Jody Stevens (3-1), the third of five San Diego State relievers, pitched 2 1/3 innings to earn the victory. Stevens allowed three hits.

Starter Jason Cole (4-4), who gave up nine hits and was charged with all of San Diego State’s runs, took the loss.

Terrmel Sledge’s two-run home run, his sixth homer of the season, with one out in the third gave the Matadors a 2-1 lead. Two batters later, Adam Kennedy hit a two-run home run, his 19th. Chris MacMillan added a sacrifice fly later in the inning.

In the fifth, Andy Bevins and Ryan Hammons delivered two-run singles for San Diego State.

In the sixth, Paul Lockhart led off with a triple and scored on a single by Tavares Comeaux for the Aztecs.

Northridge scored a run in the seventh when Dan Pierce came home from third on an infield double play.

Kennedy was five for five, including his 23rd double of the season. Pierce was two for four and scored two runs. Sledge was one for three and drove in two runs.

Reliever Jeff Dufek entered in the ninth and retired one batter to notch his sixth save.

Northridge has 12 games remaining. The Matadors begin a three-game series Friday at the University of San Francisco.

The Master’s 8, Southern California College 2--Jim Young hit a home run and Dan Cato had two doubles for the Mustangs (19-24) in a nonconference game at Master’s.

Young and Cato each had two RBIs. Heath McElwee pitched five innings and allowed two runs to pick up the victory.