USIU’s Fan Club Still Missing in 8-4 Loss to CSUN

For U. S. International University, batting against Cal State Northridge is a lot like a first-grader struggling through a reading primer:

See the Gulls.

See the Gulls swing.

See the Gulls miss.

Northridge pitcher Scott Sharts, picking up where Craig Clayton left off the day before, tossed a six-hitter and struck out 11 Saturday in leading the Matadors to an 8-4 come-from-behind victory at CSUN.

Clayton fanned 19 Gulls on Friday, meaning 30 of USIU’s 54 outs in the two games have come by strikeout.

Sharts was not sharp. Suffering from a strained back muscle, he walked four and hit a batter. But he was sharp enough to stop the Gulls (11-25).

“I haven’t had a good groove the last three outings,” said Sharts (8-3), who recorded his third consecutive victory and fifth game in a row with 10 or more strikeouts. “I just have to battle through it and try to throw strikes.”

Northridge (27-10-1), which had just one hit through four innings, trailed 4-1 after 4 1/2 innings. But in the bottom of the fifth, Mike Solar bounced a single up the middle and Andy Hodgins beat out a chopper to short, putting runners at first and second.

Clayton followed with a single up the middle to score Solar, and Hodgins scored as well when center fielder James Gibson let the ball get under his glove for an error. Clayton, who had three hits Friday, followed with three more Saturday to extend his hitting streak to 22 games and raise his average to .402.

Northridge broke the game open in a five-run seventh inning after Gulls starter Mike Whisonant (1-9) walked the first two batters of the inning. David Payetta replaced Whisonant and hit Hodgins in the back with his third pitch to load the bases.

Freshman Chris Townsend relieved Payetta and walked Clayton to force in Denny Vigo, tying the score, 4-4.

Scott Richardson then grounded a single off the glove of diving shortstop Greg Shepard to knock in two runs. An infield single by Sharts loaded the bases, and Greg Shockey blooped a single to center to put the Matadors up, 8-4.

“Our personality changed when we got behind 4-1,” Northridge Coach Bill Kernen said. “The guys got more intense and set themselves to play a little harder. We’ve got to do something to get this offense going early somehow.”

The three-game series between Northridge and USIU concludes today at Matador Field at 1 p.m.