[0] CSUN ROUTS UCLA, BUT IT MAY BE TOO LATE : NORTHRIDGE 12 UCLA 6.

Byline: Dave Desmond Daily News Staff Writer

It will be five long days before Cal State Northridge learns if its resounding 12-6 victory over UCLA on Tuesday night actually meant anything.

The Matadors' upset of the nation's fourth-ranked team before 702 at Jackie Robinson Stadium might have been their last game of the 1997 season.

The only game now left on the schedule is a waiting game.

NCAA regional bids will be announced Monday, and Northridge is a team on the bubble if ever there was one.

While UCLA's place in the postseason is secure - the Bruins (40-18-1) finished second in the Pac-10 Southern Division - the Matadors may be left out after a pair of bubble-bursting weekend losses to USC. The 10-inning 8-7 defeat Saturday at Northridge and 8-2 loss at USC left the Matadors 33-19-1 against Division I opponents.

``If there's 48 teams in the country better than us, there's some pretty good teams out there,'' Northridge coach Mike Batesole said.

In dire need of a 34th Division I victory, the Matadors (42-20-1 overall) put all their hopes on the left arm of junior pitcher Erasmo Ramirez.

It was a solid choice.

One argument for a Northridge postseason bid is its six victories over top 25 teams - and Ramirez (11-5) has been on the mound for each of them.

Against UCLA, he struck out a season-high 12 batters, yielded 11 hits and left to a standing ovation with one out in the ninth. Gary Stephenson got the last two.

``Maybe this will show the (selection) committee we can play against the big dogs,'' Ramirez said.

Adam Kennedy, who was 2 for 3,collected four RBI to give him a school-record 99. He also finished the season as the nation's hit leader.