CSUN NOTEBOOK : CRABTREE FEELS THE PAIN IN HIS ARM, HEART.

Cal State Northridge senior pitcher Robert Crabtree was sitting on the

ground, his head bowed, when coach Mike Batesole ran over and playfully tackled him after the Matadors' 9-2 loss to Florida State in the championship game of the NCAA West Regional.

The coach he had gotten to know at Cypress College and then grown close to at Northridge, the coach who believed in him more than anyone else, was saying goodbye and thank you and I love you.

And still, Crabtree did not break down.

It was not until 10 minutes later, when he was asked in a press conference whether it had hit him that his college career was over, that Crabtree could not hold back the tears.

``Right when the third out was made, it hit me,'' he said, his voice cracking, ``knowing I'm not going to play with these guys any more.''

He then covered his face as the tears began to flow.

Crabtree left his heart and his right arm at Sunken Diamond this weekend. He made four appearances in Northridge's five games. He started and got the loss Thursday against Stanford. On Saturday he got the save in both of Northridge's victories. And he came in in the ninth inning of Sunday's loss to Florida State in the championship game.

``At a time like this, you've got to throw through whatever pain you have,'' he said.

He finished the season 13-8 with 3.91 ERA and 138-2/3 innings pitched. For his career he was 21-15.

It's all good: Northridge catcher Robert Fick and Stanford catcher A.J. Hinch, perhaps the two best catchers in the nation and certainly the biggest news this weekend, met near homeplate after Northridge beat Stanford 4-3 on Saturday night. There, they hugged.

``There was never anything bad between us,'' Hinch said Saturday. ``It was a lot of misunderstanding. The competitive juices were flowing. He's a good player. We may be (Olympic) teammates this summer and there's no need to go into it with any tension.''

After telling Bay Area reporters he felt he was the best catcher in the nation Wednesday, Fick was the object of derision from the local media and fans throughout the tournament.

Hinch, practically an icon here after his four years at Stanford, hit .188 (3 for 16) in the regional. Fick hit .429 (9 for 21) with eight RBI and was named to the All-Regional team.

King Kennedy: Every time Adam Kennedy was out in his 0-for-3 performance on Sunday, there were cries of shock in the press box.

That's because he did not get out much in Northridge's first four games, going 13 for 20. He finished the regional 13 for 23 (.565) with a tournament-best 12 RBI and 10 runs scored.

And remember, he is only a sophomore and was not all-conference. But he did make the all-regional team.