CSLA Finds a Quick Fix at Northridge

Slumping Cal State Los Angeles needed a win Wednesday to snap a five-game losing streak.

It came to the right place--Cal State Northridge.

The Golden Eagles roughed up three Northridge pitchers for 16 hits, including four home runs, in an 11-8 California Collegiate Athletic Assn. victory.

While Cal State L. A. snapped out of its slump, the Matadors’ losing streak continued. Northridge has lost three in a row and five of its past seven to drop to 11-22 overall, 2-6 in the CCAA.

The win gives Cal State L. A. much-needed momentum going into a weekend series against conference-leading Cal Poly Pomona.

Cal State L. A. improved to 13-20 overall and 4-5 in the CCAA.

The Golden Eagles jumped on starter Leo Ramirez early and scored eight runs on eight hits before knocking the senior right-hander out in the fifth inning. Cal State L .A. hit all four of its home runs off Ramirez with help from a gusty, swirling wind.

Northridge showed signs of life in the sixth and seventh when it rallied for seven runs in the two innings to cut Cal State L. A.’s lead to 9-8.

In the sixth, Lenn Gilmore hit his career-high 11th home run of the season and drove in his 40th run. Mark Hebert added a two-run homer to round out Northridge’s three-run rally.

The Matadors added four more in the seventh on Chae-Ho Chong’s two-run, bases-loaded double and Hebert’s two-run single.

The Golden Eagles, however, added single runs in each of the last two innings to stall the Matador rally.

Joe Cypert, who relieved starter Steve McGovern in the seventh, earned the save.

Northridge was shaky early as Cal State L. A. scored in the first by capitalizing on Matador miscues.

With one out in the first, Chuck Elder walked and advanced to third when Ramirez threw wildly to first on a pickoff attempt. Elder scored on a pop fly hit behind first by Rex De La Nuez when second baseman Jimmy Mitchell threw away the relay.

The Golden Eagles added three more runs in the third on homers by Brent Bish and De La Nuez. De La Nuez’s two-run shot to right gave him a team-high six home runs and 22 RBIs.

Designated hitter Greg Reid gave the Golden Eagles a 6-0 lead when he doubled to open the fourth and scored on Brad Mengel’s two-run home run over the right-field wall.

Northridge scored its first run in the fourth on Geoff Curtis’ home run to left-center field.

Elder’s leadoff home run in the fifth was the fourth home run off Ramirez. Ramirez then walked De La Nuez and gave up a single to Loy McBride before being relieved by Mike Rooney.

Northridge, which had eight hits and committed four errors, plays at UC Riverside on Friday.