CSUN TURNS ON POWER, TURNS OFF NO. 9 FULLERTON : CS NORTHRIDGE 5, CS FULLERTON 3.

Byline: Kevin Acee Daily News Staff Writer

The power was supposed to have left the Cal State Northridge baseball team.

A season that everyone knew was going to be a little haywire started just that way Tuesday, as the Matadors hit four solo home runs and beat visiting Cal State Fullerton 5-3 in front of 628 at Matador Field.

It was actually Northridge's second game. The first, last Friday, resulted in an easy win at Division III Cal Baptist. But Tuesday was a victory against the ninth-ranked team in the country, a team Northridge had not beaten in their past six meetings.

``This is huge,'' said starting pitcher Erasmo Ramirez, who got the victory for his five innings of seven-hit work. ``We're not 2-0. We're 1-0 to the regional committee.''

The Matadors, who had their scheduled two-game series against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo rained out over the weekend, are playing as an independent this season. With no conference title or automatic NCAA regional berth to play for, they must beat powerful opponents such as Fullerton if they are to return to the postseason.

``One of the things this team is going to do is develop an identity,'' coach Mike Batesole said of his club, which features 17 newcomers. ``This is a game that can go a long way in developing that.''

For an early-season game - it was Fullerton's first - Tuesday was well-played. And even better-pitched.

After Ramirez left the game with a 5-3 lead, senior Gary Stephenson scattered three hits over the final four innings for the save.

Fullerton starting pitcher Scott Hild was effective, mostly with his change-up - save for the four pitches that resulted in home runs. He was charged with all five runs; relievers Brian Tokarske and John Alkire didn't allow Northridge a hit in the final three innings. Northridge had just five hits all day.

After the game, Northridge shortstop Adam Kennedy, the only proven star on the team, was still focusing on the lack of offense and some blunders in the infield. It was a penchant for perfection he picked up playing for last year's 52-18 team that finished ranked 10th in the nation.

``We didn't help our pitchers,'' Kennedy said. ``That just shows how good they are. . . . It's good we beat Fullerton and didn't play our best.''

As with last year, when the Matadors hit 129 home runs in 70 games, the power made them just good enough.

Kennedy led off the bottom of the first inning with a line shot over the fence in left-center field. After Fullerton took a 2-1 lead on three hits and a walk in the third inning, Andy Wilson scored Northridge's only non-homer-produced run after walking to lead off the bottom of the third. Later in the inning, Jose Miranda hit a homer out of right-center to give Northridge a 3-2 lead.

Back-to-back homers by Cesar Martinez and Brian Wagner pushed the lead to 5-2 in the fourth.

It was a pleasant way to start a season for a team that was supposed to be reliant on its strong pitching after the departures for the pros by power hitters Robert Fick and Eric Gillespie.

``Everyone says we don't have the power,'' said Miranda, who obviously spent some hours in the weight room in the offseason and added about 10 pounds in anticipation of his new role as a team leader. ``We will surprise some people.''

Notes: To replace the games lost last weekend, Northridge will host Loyola Marymount on March 7 and Cal State San Bernardino on March 19. The Matadors will not play Cal Poly SLO this season. . . . Miranda was 2 for 4 again Tuesday to maintain his team-leading .500 batting average. . . . Kennedy's homer was his team-high second.

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Photo

Photo: (color) CSUN shortstop Adam Kennedy waits to tag out Cal State Fullerton's Nakia Hill attempting to steal second base at Matador Field on Tuesday.

Tom Mendoza / Daily News