Northridge Has Last Word, 18-17

The field was hard as cement and a hot wind blew toward the outfield. It was a beautiful day to have a bat in your hands.

And like a game of over-the-top, last hand on the bat won.

Adrian Mendoza opened the 10th inning with a home run to give Cal State Northridge an 18-17 victory over USC on Tuesday.

Mendoza, a freshman from Royal High, pulled a line drive over the right-field wall against ace reliever Jack Krawczyk, the Trojans’ sixth pitcher.

It was the ninth homer in the game, five by Northridge.

Four Northridge pitchers absorbed a 26-hit onslaught by USC (35-16) and ace starter Erasmo Ramirez (9-3) picked up the victory despite allowing three runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Ramirez threw 145 pitches Friday in a victory over San Francisco, but he wasn’t surprised at being summoned by Northridge Coach Mike Batesole in relief.

“There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to pitch if we got a lead,” Ramirez said.

The victory was critical for Northridge (35-17), which lost to the Trojans, 8-7, two months ago on a ninth-inning home run.

The Matadors believe they must win nearly all of their final eight games to gain a berth in the NCAA tournament.

“We gotta keep winning,” said right fielder Jose Miranda, who drove in six runs on a home run, double and single.

“That’s all there is to it.”

Northridge led, 6-3, after three innings, trailed, 10-6, after five, and scored 11 runs in the sixth to take a 17-10 lead.

No one breathed easy.

Gary Stephenson held USC scoreless in the sixth and seventh, but the Trojans erupted for six runs on seven hits in the eighth.

An opposite-field home run by Robb Gorr, the fourth of the game for USC, against Ramirez with one out in the ninth tied the score, 17-17.

“Both teams took a good approach offensively,” Batesole said.

“Everyone stayed patient. Sometimes when you get the wind blowing, hitters are overanxious and you get a bunch of popups.”

No one would confuse the Northridge home runs hit in the sixth by Miranda, Jeremy Sickles, Andy Wilson and Dan Pierce for popups. All were shots, albeit wind-aided.

“Our guys hope for these conditions,” said Tim Montez, the Cal State Northridge pitching coach.

“We have the advantage because we are used to it.”

Starter Jason Cole allowed 11 hits and six runs in four innings, but his coach spoke of his performance in glowing terms.

“The way Cole battled was the key to the game,” Batesole said.

“He fought, fought, fought, and it set the tone for the whole team.”