BIG SWEEP PUTS CSUN ON TOP CSUN 12, FULLERTON 3.Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer FULLERTON - Rather than whoop whoop (hldbomacp) the sonorous and convulsive inhalation of whooping cough. whoop n. The paroxysmal gasp characteristic of whooping cough. it up after a second consecutive victory here Saturday, Cal State Northridge players vowed to seize the opportunity. ``It's really easy to win a series and take a break Sunday,'' Matadors second baseman 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 Shaun Larkin said. Larkin and center fielder Eric Verbryke were the motivational speakers during a postgame meeting imploring im·plore v. im·plored, im·plor·ing, im·plores v.tr. 1. To appeal to in supplication; beseech: implored the tribunal to have mercy. 2. the team not to let a possible sweep at Cal State Fullerton get away because of a case of complacency. No. 23 CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge , knowing win or lose it would exit Orange County no worse than tied for the Big West Conference lead, took Larkin and Verbryke's pleas to another level with a 12-3 thrashing of the 13th-ranked Titans in front of 1,828 at Goodwin Field Goodwin Field is a stadium in Fullerton, California. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Cal State Fullerton Titans of the NCAA's Big West Conference and Orange County Flyers minor league baseball teams. It holds 3,500 people. on Sunday. The Matadors (32-13, 12-3) hold a two-game advantage over defending-champion Fullerton (29-15, 10-5), which previously had experienced just two three-game sweeps in coach George Horton's six-year tenure. ``The only thing we did better than them this weekend is bunt when we chose to bunt,'' Horton said, joking. The Matadors assured themselves they'd be ready after two emotional victories, 2-1 on Friday and an 8-6 extra-innings thriller Saturday. From the first batter Sunday, CSUN was the superior team, scoring seven runs over the first two innings. ``We've been looking forward to this series for a long time,'' said center fielder Adam Nikolic, whose two-out RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in single in the first sparked a four-hit game. ``Everything just came together this weekend. We were happy that we won the series, but we wanted to finish strong. We didn't want to let this one go.'' That was impossible the way Nikolic and the top four hitters in the lineup punished Fullerton pitchers. Ryan Haag, Jason Gorman, Larkin and Verbryke went a combined 12 for 19 with six RBI and 12 runs scored. There were many reasons for the Matadors to be perky perk·y adj. perk·i·er, perk·i·est 1. Having a buoyant or self-confident air; briskly cheerful. 2. Jaunty; sprightly. perk throughout the weekend: sweeping a three-game series at Goodwin Field for the first time since Long Beach State in 1993; handing Titans ace Wes Littleton Wes Avi Littleton (born September 2, 1982 in Hayward, California) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers. Littleton, a relief pitcher with a sidearm delivery, made his Major League debut on July 4, 2006 in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. his first loss Friday since March 1; and roughing up All-American Chad Cordero, arguably the nation's premier closer, for four earned runs in the 10th on Saturday. Add Sunday starter Matthew Larson's (4-2) seven quality innings (one run, seven hits, four strikeouts) to the list. Pitching depth after veterans Bill Murphy, Kameron Loe and Andy Davidson is questionable. But Larson's longest and best outing of the season suggests the Matadors could have another dependable arm, which they'll need for the NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association Regionals. Larson doesn't light up radar guns, but that's not a job requirement for the Matadors staff. ``At this level, with this type of player and these bats that we use,'' coach Mike Batesole said, ``it's never going to be about throwing hard or being overpowering.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: MATTHEW LARSON Matadors pitcher struck out four and gave up one run on seven hits in seven innings. |
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