Northridge Aces Plan to Transfer

NORTHRIDGE â€”  Their coach had beefed up their scholarships only a day earlier, giving Benny Flores and Erasmo Ramirez more money than any Cal State Northridge baseball players have ever received.

Now the Matadors have some extra cash to spend.

Flores and Ramirez, pitchers who combined for 43 victories the past two seasons, informed Matador Coach Mike Batesole on Friday night they will transfer to Cal State Fullerton or Long Beach State.

The left-handed juniors cited the uncertainty of the Northridge program and their disappointment at the team not gaining an at-large berth to the NCAA Division I tournament as reasons for their decision.

Division I baseball players may transfer once without losing eligibility. Northridge gave both players releases Friday and they will meet with Long Beach Coach Dave Snow today and with Fullerton Coach George Horton on Monday.

To Flores and Ramirez, those schools have two distinct advantages: They belong to a conference--the Big West--and the baseball programs are not in danger of being cut.

Northridge will remain an independent next season despite efforts to join the Big West, and baseball is one of five men’s sports that may be cut to meet gender equity and budget requirements.

“All the heat about whether Northridge will have a program or not, plus it became obvious you have to be in a conference to make the regionals, that made my decision,� Flores said. “I want to get to the next level.�

So does Ramirez, a close friend of Flores’. The pair made their decision together and they walked side by side into Northridge Athletic Director Paul Bubb’s office Friday to get their releases.

There was no resistance from Bubb or Batesole.

“I’m so close with them that whatever they decide to do is OK with me,� Batesole said. “One thing I’ve pounded into their heads is to trust your instincts. That’s what they are doing, so I’m not going to try to make them stay for goodness sakes.�

Informing Batesole of their decision was difficult for both pitchers.

“He supports us, and that is huge to me,� Ramirez said. “I’m totally grateful for what Batesole has done for me. He always taught us to be aggressive and think ahead. That’s exactly what we are doing.�

Flores and Ramirez would like to transfer to the same school, but have not ruled out parting. Neither figures to be drafted high enough next week to sign a pro contract.

Both indicated they will live with their parents next year. Flores, who attended El Dorado High, lives in Placentia; Ramirez, who went to Saddleback High, lives in Santa Ana.

“It’s not like we are a package deal,� Ramirez said.

It’s an attractive package, nevertheless. Fullerton and Long Beach both are established Big West powers that qualified for regionals this year. And both will lose pitchers to graduation and the major league draft.

“We’ve been given permission to talk to them and we have every intention of doing it,� Horton said.

Flores was 11-3 with a team-leading 3.09 earned-run average this season after going 7-2 with a 3.75 ERA as a sophomore. Ramirez was 11-5 this year with a 4.98 ERA and defeated six nationally ranked teams. He was 14-1 and an All-American as a sophomore.

The pair were key to Northridge posting a 94-38-1 record the past two seasons, including 42-20-1 this season. Northridge lost in the West Regional final in 1996.

“Those were two guys who were going to carry us to the College World Series next year,� Batesole said. “It was going to be the best year in the history of the program. That’s what it was going to be.�

Staff writer Lon Eubanks contributed to this story.