CSUN’s Richardson Breaks the Ice With Power Play

Scott Richardson accomplished in his second official plate appearance of the season what he failed to achieve in 239 at-bats for Cal State Northridge last season.

Richardson powered his first collegiate home run high over the 390-foot sign in center field in Northridge’s opener, an 11-2 win over host Grand Canyon University.

Now if only he could get his home-run trot down.

“I knew I hit it well, but I was in a dead sprint until I hit second base,� Richardson said.

Overhearing this, Scott Sharts, the Matadors’ resident power hitter, teased his teammate: “Dude, have a little confidence in your power.�

Fantasy league: It is easy to do a double-take at the shirt reading “Mustang Football� with a picture of The Master’s helmet on the front.

The back of the shirt details the schedule and scores from a glorious 12-0 national championship football season for The Master’s. The only hitch is that Master’s does not have a football team.

According to the T-shirt, the Mustangs marched through a difficult season, beating Houston (69-68), USC, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Michigan, then Miami, 17-16, in the Fiesta Bowl.

“We took the top teams in the country,� said Jack Mutz, an assistant baseball coach and the creator of the shirt.

There was one notable local omission. “I don’t think they put UCLA on there for some reason,� said Chris Harrison, sports information director and baseball coach.

Falling stars: The stars did not come out last Saturday night for Valley-area men’s junior college basketball teams. Damian Wilson and Sam Crawford of Moorpark did not play against Santa Barbara for disciplinary reasons, and J. R. Rider of Antelope Valley sat out against Chaffey, also apparently for disciplinary reasons.

Both teams won despite missing a trio of players who average a total of 72.9 points.

All of the players were expected to return to action Wednesday night.

Back to baseball: The most impressive pitching performance of Northridge’s three-game sweep against Grand Canyon was turned in by left-hander David Eggert, a transfer from Ventura College.

Eggert came in from the bullpen in the fifth inning of the third game with three runs already across, the bases loaded and none out. His first pitch resulted in a double-play ground ball. Then he struck out Tait Mitton to end the threat.

In three innings, Eggert allowed only one hit and struck out three to record his first victory.

Tower of power: Of the seven home runs Northridge hit against Grand Canyon, Denny Vigo’s solo blast in the second inning of game No. 3 was by far the most prodigious.

Vigo connected on a full-count pitch from right-hander Steve Wilkerson and sent the ball sailing high over a 40-foot net that extends above the left-field fence at Grand Canyon’s Brazell Stadium.

Ironically, Vigo was among the few Matador batters who struggled at the plate during the series. He had only two hits in 15 at-bats.

Hot hitter: Greg Shockey, perhaps the fiercest competitor on Northridge’s baseball team, was no less intense after getting hits in seven of his first eight at-bats of the season.

After going four for four in the second of CSUN’s three games against Grand Canyon last week, Shockey explained that Antelope pitchers had tried unsuccessfully to attack him with pitches similar to the one that tied him up on his only failed at-bat the day before.

And what pitch was that? “I don’t like to discuss those things,� Shockey said.

In the series, Shockey was eight for 13, reached base safely in 11 of 15 plate appearances and had two doubles, a home run and nine runs batted in.

Handy hurler: Ken Kendrena was the starting pitcher in Northridge’s second baseball game of the season, but he also can play the infield. Kendrena signed with Texas A&M; out of high school and played infield for the Aggies for one season before transferring to Cypress College.

Bill Kernen, CSUN’s coach, said Kendrena played some infield for the Matadors in the fall and looked as good--in some cases, better--than the team’s regular infielders.

In his pitching debut last Saturday, Kendrena helped his cause with a couple of nice defensive plays. He also showed he can coax ground balls from hitters as well as gobble them up.

On two occasions, ground-ball double plays helped him out of jams.

Said Kernen: “One of the things I like about him is that he’s mentally tough. If things go bad, he just rolls up another ground ball.�

Quotebook: Andre Chevalier, at 5-foot-10 the smallest member of the CSUN basketball team, on 6-7, 300-pound Todd Bowser: “Even though he’s not the team captain, he is our leader. He keeps us calm. He calms me down when I get mad at the refs and he’s a big-time inside player. That wide body no one can get around.�

Statwatch: In sweeping Hawaii in three games for the second time in three nights, the Northridge volleyball team exhibited its strongest defense of the season. The first 14 times Hawaii served, CSUN registered side outs. . . .

Northridge had a baserunner in 20 consecutive innings against Grand Canyon until reliever Doug Kimball retired the Matadors in order in the third inning of the third game. In the previous inning, Northridge had scored 12 runs, equaling a school record. . . .

Scott Sharts hit two of Northridge’s seven home runs over the weekend, giving him 31 in 257 at-bats. That’s an average of one every 8.3 at-bats. . . .

Julie Arlotto needs just six points--half her average--Saturday against visiting Southern Utah State to move into second place on the school’s all-time scoring list. Arlotto, a senior from Simi Valley High, is trying to surpass Paula Moran, who scored 1,264 points from 1975-78. . . . The Northridge men’s basketball team is shooting only 64% from the free-throw line. . . .

Recruiting trail: Ryan Hickman and Jerome Johnson wore Nevada Las Vegas caps to Northridge’s 92-83 win over Cal State Sacramento on Saturday, but both Fairfax High seniors have a better chance of playing basketball for CSUN than for top-ranked UNLV.

Hickman, a 6-6 forward with a 21 points-a-game average, has Northridge on his list of schools he is considering along with University of the Pacific, Florida International, University of San Diego, UC Davis and Cal Poly Pomona.

With only two non-senior forwards returning next season, Hickman might get the opportunity to play a lot early in his career.

Johnson, a 5-9 point guard, also is considering Pepperdine and UC Davis. After watching Andre Chevalier play, Johnson envisions himself in a reserve role as a freshman at CSUN.

Staff writers Mike Hiserman, Theresa Munoz and Brendan Healey contributed to this notebook.