Rout Has Downside for CSUN

NORTHRIDGE — The Cal State Northridge baseball team emerged from its clubhouse after Wednesday’s game against Cal State Los Angeles in a somber mood.

Not much conversation between teammates, not a lot of smiles.

Not what one would expect from a team that just pounded out 20 hits--including four home runs--limited the Golden Eagles to four hits and improved to 3-0 with a 20-2 victory at Matador Field.

Rather than celebrating, Northridge dwelled on four errors which led to both runs for the Golden Eagles (0-3). Two errors allowed a run to score in the ninth inning.

“We didn’t finish strong,” Matador first baseman Casey Cheshier said. “We made some mental errors and just didn’t play catch.”

The defense struggled a bit, but the offense flexed its muscle.

“Everyone said we couldn’t hit last year, too,” said Cheshier, who had a single, a triple, a homer and five runs batted in. “Maybe the same thing is happening again.”

Last year the Matadors hit a school-record 129 home runs. This season they have 10 through three games, but Coach Mike Batesole cautions against comparisons to last year’s team.

“We have a long way to go,” Batesole said. “I haven’t seen enough to evaluate anything yet.”

Northridge starting pitcher Benny Flores (2-0) allowed only one hit and struck out six without a walk in six innings. He did not allow a runner past first base.

Offensively, the Matadors got all they needed when they sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs against starter Brad Guy (0-2) in the first inning. Cheshier’s two-run triple highlighted the inning.

A three-run home run by shortstop Adam Kennedy capped an eight-run seventh for the Matadors, giving them a 20-1 lead. Kennedy finished with three hits and three RBIs. Jose Miranda was 3 for 3 with three RBIs, including a two-run home run, his second of the season.

Notes

Cheshier needed a double to complete the cycle, but struck out in the seventh and flew out in the eighth. Perhaps it’s just as well. His first-inning triple bounced off of right fielder Albert Ambriz’s glove and was originally ruled an error. The scoring was changed at Batesole’s request. “That was real questionable,” Cheshier said. . . . Kennedy has homered in all three Northridge games. . . . Royal High graduate Matt Pitstick, a freshman, made his Northridge debut Wednesday, starting in left field. . . . Dan Pierce, a Matador freshman, had an inside-the-park home run in his first college at-bat.