A Little Goes a Long Way for CS Northridge, Clayton in 7-0 Win Over Fullerton : College baseball: Junior right-hander throws three-hitter with no walks and Matadors work fundamentals to perfection.

By BRENDAN HEALEY

Feb. 17, 1991 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

They used to call it “Little Ball,” and Cal State Northridge played it to perfection in rolling to a big victory Saturday afternoon.

Bunting for singles, playing flawless defense and taking advantage of Craig Clayton’s pinpoint pitching, Northridge manhandled a Cal State Fullerton team that committed three errors and surrendered five walks in a 7-0 nonconference blowout at Fullerton College.

“They totally dominated the game, offensively and defensively,” Fullerton Coach Augie Garrido said. “There wasn’t anything they didn’t beat us at.”

Clayton, who played high school baseball just up the road in Anaheim, celebrated his homecoming by pitching what he called the best game of his Northridge career.

“I was just in the groove today,” said Clayton, a junior right-hander.

Clayton (2-1) needed fewer pitches than Joe Isuzu to earn the victory.

In his 95-pitch, three-hitter, Clayton walked no one, going to three balls only twice. He struck out six, retired the last 11 in order and faced only 28 batters--one over the minimum.

“Absolutely outstanding, I can’t think of an inning where he wasn’t mentally ready,” Northridge catcher Mike Sims said. “It’s the best outing I’ve caught him in the past two years.”

Clayton was more commanding than Alexander Haig. If he was throwing to spots, they were the size of nickels.

“The thing that was working for him was pitch command,” Northridge Coach Bill Kernen said. “That was the best we’ve had all year from anybody.”

Leading, 2-0, after five innings, Northridge looked as if it would need all of Clayton’s brilliance to hold off the Titans. However, Clayton, also the leadoff hitter, helped his own cause in the sixth with a two-run double to the fence in right-center.

“That was a real back-breaker,” Kernen said.

Clayton scored on a sacrifice fly by Greg Shockey to put Northridge up, 5-0, after 5 1/2 innings.

Northridge (8-4) added two runs in the eighth when Sims hit a solo home run, his first of the season, to left-center, and Andy Hodgins scored on a Shockey single.

A Mike Solar run put Northridge up, 1-0, in the second, and Shockey scored in the fifth on Eric Johnson’s sacrifice fly.

All 11 Northridge hits came from the first, second, eighth and ninth spots in the order. Clayton and Shockey, the top two men in the order, had three hits and two runs batted in each.

Nos. 8 and 9 hitters Sims and Hodgins had two and three hits, respectively, and scored two runs each.

“We’re encouraged. . . . if the bottom of the order chips in and does something,” Kernen said.

Fullerton threatened to score only once. With one out in the fourth and Mike Berry on third, Matt Hattabaugh hit a ground ball to third baseman Denny Vigo.

Without hesitation, Berry headed for home, as did Vigo’s throw. Berry slammed into Sims but was turned away.

“What we were trying to do was get him to hit it to the left side,” Kernen said. “That’s the way you draw it up on the board.”

Little things, big difference.