Kendrena Facing Role Reversal

Now that Cal State Northridge pitcher Steven Morales has been sidelined because of an elbow injury, Coach Bill Kernen is considering alternatives--one of which is to go with a three-man rotation of Kevin Kloek, David Eggert and John Bushart, with staff ace Kenny Kendrena coming out of the bullpen.

“Kendrena would be available to pitch every day if he had to,” Kernen said. “Whenever we got in trouble, even if it’s in the first inning, we would go right to him.”

Kernen said Kendrena’s season-long habit of struggling early in his starts would not deter him from using the senior right-hander as a stopper.

“I can’t imagine Kendrena coming in in the ninth inning of a game not pumped out of his mind and pitching with his best stuff,” Kernen said. “I think he could get just about anybody out for an inning--including the Dodgers.”

MIXED SIGNALS

Jody Robinson, Loyola Marymount’s baseball coach, on Wednesday returned to Northridge where he was Kernen’s third-base coach and top assistant last season.

Although he is a head coach, Robinson still coaches third base, and he had several friendly exchanges with Denny Vigo, Northridge’s third baseman.

According to Vigo, Robinson twice bummed tobacco from him during the game. But as it turns out, dip was not the only thing Robinson was getting from the Matadors.

He also was figuring out Kendrena’s pitches by watching the way the right-hander gripped the ball during his delivery.

In the early innings, Kendrena reported that he could hear Robinson “calling the pitch as I threw it.”

It helped--a little. Loyola had seven hits and struck out only seven times against Kendrena, who came in averaging more than a strikeout an inning.

However, Northridge won, 12-3--Kendrena’s seventh win in eight decisions after he opened the season with three consecutive losses.

Kendrena said he managed to silence Robinson in the later innings by “making an adjustment.”

Vigo didn’t need to. He said he prepared for Robinson’s visit. “I stopped at 7-Eleven on the way here,” Vigo said. “I knew J.R. was coming, so I got myself a brand new tin.”

HOME SWEET HOME

The Northridge baseball team (25-7-1) is 14-2-1 at Matador Field and in the process has swept away a couple of hot opponents.

Six weeks ago, San Jose State came in with a 4-1 record. The Spartans left 4-4. Since then they are 21-4-1 and are ranked 27th in the nation by Collegiate Baseball.

Nevada experienced a similar beating in a three-game series last weekend. The Wolf Pack came in with a 22-7-1 record and hopes of breaking into the national rankings.

Northridge’s 6-4, 4-1, 9-4 sweep severely damaged Nevada’s hopes of earning an NCAA playoff invitation.

LIKE, HOW SURPRISING

According to the Northridge softball media guide, Matador softball players like to spend their personal time shopping and going to the beach.

Just typical Valley girls.

THREE’S A CHARM

The Master’s College, which plays at the NAIA level, can attribute its 9-20 record to a tough schedule. The Mustangs are 2-10 against NCAA Division II opponents but 6-5 in NAIA District 3 play.

The Master’s must beat Biola in three games this weekend to gain the only independent berth in the District 3 playoffs. The Master’s and Biola (10-19, 3-6 in District 3) are the only independents in the district. The remaining teams are all members of the Golden State Athletic Conference.

The berth is determined by the outcome of the best-of-five series between The Master’s and Biola. Biola won the first two games March 6-7.

FAST FOURSOME

At Valley College, a top-notch 100-meter sprinter and three quarter-milers have been molded into a potent 400-meter relay team.

Ruben Benitez, Russell Hester, Marcus Reed and Kevin Maxie teamed for a time of 40.85 seconds to finish second in the junior college race in the Fresno Relays at Fresno City College last Saturday. They have run a hand-timed 40.5 this season.

“We don’t have a great team individually,” Coach James Harvey said. “But we have four kids who are running real well as a team.”

Reed, a sophomore from Canoga Park High, has a personal best of 10.41 in the 100 meters. Hester, a sophomore from Van Nuys High, and freshmen Benitez (Taft) and Maxie (Canoga Park) list the 400 as their specialty.

“If we’re on, I think we can run 40.40,” Harvey said.

According to the state JC Athletic Bureau, Valley’s season best of 40.74 is second best in the state. Taft has run 40.43.

FAMILIAR FOES

Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton and St. Mary’s are among the Northridge men’s basketball team’s 10 home opponents next season.

The schedule also includes a tournament at UC Santa Barbara and road games at Loyola Marymount, Fresno State, University of San Diego and UCLA. The Matadors will play the Bruins at Pauley Pavilion on Dec. 22.

Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy has four more games to schedule.

IT’S A COACH’S LIFE

Some jobs never end.

Consider the recent yeoman efforts of Northridge softball Coach Gary Torgeson and assistant Janet Sherman: After 17 innings and more than five hours of softball one day last week, Torgeson and Sherman boarded tractors and dragged the Matadors’ two infields in the darkness.

SHAKING IT UP

Kyle Washington, who is batting .243 with 26 hits and 25 strikeouts, has been replaced as a Northridge starting outfielder by Chris Olsen, who opened the season as the starting first baseman but has played sparingly in recent weeks.

Vigo, who has more strikeouts than hits (39 to 25) and was batting only .205, was replaced at third base by freshman Tyler Nelson in the Matadors’ series finale against Nevada. On Tuesday against the University of San Diego, Vigo was back in the lineup and hit a double and single.

Staff writers Mike Hiserman, Theresa Munoz, John Ortega and Wendy Witherspoon contributed to this notebook.