Northridge’s Efforts Beyond Expectations

All good seasons must come to an end, and unless the NCAA goes against the grain in its regional selections, Cal State Northridge’s remarkable rise from near ruin will conclude today.

“This is like my family and I’ve been thinking about it every night, knowing there won’t be any more practices and games,” said Mike McNeely, the Matadors’ senior center fielder. “It’s been so much fun.

“Usually this time of year guys are tired and talking about the end of the season. But this team would keep playing together all summer.”

Only the schedule can end the Matadors’ roll. They’ve won 24 of their last 26 after sweeping a doubleheader from Southern Utah, 8-1 and 7-6, Saturday at Northridge.

This is the team that nearly wasn’t. Northridge administrators tried to cut the program in June and restored it only because state Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley) provided bail-out money in August.

But the events that caused the Matadors (36-19) to hurriedly patch together a roster a few weeks before school started are just a dim memory thanks to a season that made administrative machinations moot.

“This team has become relentless in everything they do,” Coach Mike Batesole said. “They have become life-long friends, they are winners and nobody can take that away from them.”

In the finale today against Southern Utah, Northridge left-hander Jose Vasquez will go after his 10th victory, a notion that flabbergasts Batesole.

“People told me we’d be lucky to win 10 games as a team,” he said. “To think we have a pitcher who could win 10 says it all.”

Season-best efforts by two pitchers keyed the sweep. Tim Bell (4-0) pitched his first complete game in the seven-inning opener, allowing three hits and striking out six.

In the second game, seldom-used reliever Kevin Fujimoto (2-1) pitched out of a jam in the seventh, then shut out the Thunderbirds (22-27) until Northridge scored in the 11th on a bases-loaded single by Eric Horvat.

The Matadors overcame a triple play in a fifth inning that began with promise. Nakia Hill doubled to extend his hitting streak to 16 games and Darren Dyt followed with his second homer and 12th of the season to give Northridge a 4-3 lead.

Kevin Patrick and Adrian Mendoza singled, and it appeared the Matadors were about to break open the game.

Chris MacMillan’s fly to right, however, was ruled a catch by a diving Jake Petersen, and both runners were retired because they believed the ball had dropped and didn’t tag up.

“A triple play wasn’t going to faze us,” Batesole said. “We won three games this year when the other team hit grand slams. There is nothing the guys haven’t overcome.”