A FRESH(MAN) START; MCKENZIE'S DOUBLE IGNITES CSUN RALLY IN OPENER CSUN 8, NEVADA 6.Byline: Matthew Kredell There was one out in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Cal State Northridge baseball team needed something to salvage its season opener. Down by four runs to Nevada with the bases empty, coach Mike Batesole removed senior Adrian Mendoza, deciding to give freshman Aaron McKenzie his first NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association at-bat. ``Get in there and get me a double,`` Batesole said. Knowing that a freshman's job is to do what the coach says, McKenzie did just that, launching a drive high off the right-field wall to ignite a six-run inning as the Matadors won 8-6 in front of 537 fans at Matador matador In bullfighting, the principal performer, who works the capes and attempts to dispatch the bull with a sword thrust between the shoulder blades. Most of the techniques used by modern matadors were established in the 1910s by Juan Belmonte (b. 1894–d. Field. ``Tomorrow, I'm going to tell him to hit a home run,`` Batesole joked. It was a bold move to go with the freshman at one of the game's crucial moments, especially considering Mendoza was 2 for 2. But Batesole has no reservations about going with underclassmen (three freshmen and four sophomores started the opener). Nor does he have much of a choice. The Matadors are recovering from the three-month elimination of the baseball program in the summer of 1997. The recruiting class from that year, who would now be juniors, suffered from the program's uncertainty. ``I've seen him do it in batting practice a lot,`` Batesole said of McKenzie. ``He had two strikes on him and worked it to a full count - those weren't freshman at-bats.`` McKenzie finished off what he started, singling in second basemen second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker Eric Horvat to complete CSUN's rally. He wasn't the only underclassmen to get into the act. Sophomore third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker Jason Gorman followed McKenzie's double with one of his own, scoring McKenzie. One out later, three consecutive walks issued by losing pitcher George Moran The name George Moran may refer to two different individuals:
J.T. Stotts, a sophomore shortstop, then gave CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge its first lead since the fourth inning, nearly taking the pitcher's head off with a hard liner up the middle, scoring two. Right-handed starter Mike Frick, CSUN's ace, sailed into the fourth inning but was then rocked for six runs on seven consecutive hits, including back-to-back home runs by Nevada first baseman Don Price and third baseman Alex Rangel. He allowed six runs, five earned, in five innings. Merrill Dunn (1-0) picked up the win with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. Left-hander Andy Davidson Andy Davidson may refer to:
``I think it was a good statement,`` McKenzie said. ``Nevada was a ranked team (No. 30 in Baseball America  This article or section is written like an .Please help [ rewrite this article] from a neutral point of view. Mark blatant advertising for , using . ). It was an awesome way to start the season.`` USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. vs. PEPPERDINE --When Today, noon --Where: Malibu CSUN vs. NEVADA --When: Today, 1 p.m. --Where: Matador Field CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: CSUN's Jason Watkins slides safely in second base as Joey Herrera goes high to get the throw during the Matadors' opening-day victory. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News Box: USC vs. Pepperdine, CSUN vs. Nevada (see text) |
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