VALLEY ROUNDUP : Hornets Rally to Top CSUN

Cal State Northridge was within one out Sunday of completing a three-game sweep of visiting Cal State Sacramento before the Hornets rallied for three runs in the ninth inning and another in the 10th to post a 5-4 nonconference victory.

Sacramento (26-17) trailed, 4-1, in the ninth inning with two out and runners on first and second when senior Casey Simpson belted a home run to right field on the first pitch from Northridge starter Tony Ljubetic. In the 10th, Sacramento’s Steve Kristy delivered the game-winner with a solo home run off Ljubetic (2-1), also on the first pitch.

“That should never have happened and it probably won’t ever happen again,” Ljubetic said. “I can’t give up a three-run home run in that situation. I should know that because I’m usually a reliever.”

Northridge (32-9-1) threatened to score in the ninth and 10th innings, only to come up empty on close plays. With two out and a runner on third in the ninth, Sacramento shortstop Todd Hall bobbled Andy Hodges’ hard grounder to the hole but recovered to make a long throw to beat Hodges by inches.

In the 10th, Northridge runners advanced to second and third with one out. But Sacramento starter Roland De La Maza (10-4) struck out Chris Olsen, then retired Kyle Washington on a low line drive to Hall.

Northridge scored single runs in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings. Mike Solar led off the second with his 13th home run to give the Matadors a 2-0 lead. Sacramento cut the gap to 2-1 in the fourth on a single by Gaylon Johnson that drove in Mike Fadelli from second.

In the bottom of the fourth, Solar’s sacrifice fly increased the Matadors’ lead to 3-1. In the fifth, Washington hit his fifth home run to give Northridge a 4-1 lead.

Meanwhile, Sacramento managed only five singles against Ljubetic until the ninth.

“It was a big win to come out of here with one win instead of none,” Simpson said. “Looked like we were going to be swept.”

Sacramento entered the series clinging to hopes for an NCAA Division I playoff berth. Northridge posted a 10-7 win in 11 innings Friday and an 8-7 victory Saturday in emotionally charged games.

Bench-clearing face-offs erupted in both games, but no punches were thrown until after Sunday’s game when Northridge’s Scott Richardson and Sacramento’s Bruno Haro exchanged blows and had to be separated.