CSUN WINS ON A HITTERS' AFTERNOON CSUN 11, PEPPERDINE 9.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

Matador Field wasn't a good place to be a pitcher Wednesday, let alone a tired one. Cal State Northridge and Pepperdine hitters were ruthless at times, but weary Matadors relievers finally subdued the Waves to preserve an 11-9 win.

Ryan McDermott (2-1), Merrill Dunn and Mike Frick combined to allow five hits and one earned run over the last seven innings.

The Matadors (19-10), in the middle of an eight-games-in-10-days stretch, had few rested pitchers available. That became a concern when starter Bobby Graves lasted just two-plus innings and reliever Alberto Flores failed to retire the four batters he faced.

McDermott halted a third-inning rally by Pepperdine (18-10) that closed an 8-2 deficit to 8-6. The senior left-hander allowed two runs (one earned) over three innings.

``It's all about picking each other up. Doing your job when you're called upon,'' McDermott said.

Frick, the Matadors' closer, was forced to throw the final 2 2/3 innings. The junior right-hander yielded one hit and stranded two runners at third to earn his fifth save and give coach Mike Batesole career win No. 200 at Northridge.

``I like actually going a little bit more because I can get in more of a rhythm. Sometimes you get in a funk,'' said Frick, who made his team-leading 20th appearance.

``Today I had an opportunity where I felt good and I could keep going with it.''

The Matadors' hitters contributed plenty of offense to give the pitchers a margin for error. Left fielder Adam Nikolic homered twice during a 3- for-5, five-RBI day.

A substantial chunk of Northridge's robust .328 team average, 43 home runs and 225 runs scored has come at Matador Field.

``This is definitely a hitter's ballpark. The ball carries really well and you just have to make solid contact and it'll go,'' said Nikolic, whose batting average soared to .365 after smacking his first homers of 2001.

``That's the biggest thing, having good plate discipline and hitting the ball solid.''

The 16th-ranked Waves flourished at the plate early but went down quietly in the late innings. Pepperdine never recovered from the eight-spot CSUN posted in the first inning to spoil Jacob Barrack's (1-1) first start.

--Notes: Pepperdine played without shortstop Tony Garcia, who was beaned in Sunday's game at San Diego. Garcia suffered a broken nose, a black eye and possible cheekbone damage. ``It was the most pain that I've ever been in,'' said the senior, who said he'll play Friday against Gonzaga. ... Waves first baseman Jared Pitney had five hits to tie a school record already matched twice this year by teammate Woody Cliffords, who went to El Camino Real High in Woodland Hills. ... Batesole, in his sixth year, is the fastest coach in Northridge history to reach the 200-win mark, achieving the milestone in 330 games.