JUST TRY STOPPING HER; CSUN SOFTBALL'S SHINN ISN'T AFRAID TO TAKE IT ON THE CHIN.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Daily News Staff Writer

Cheri Shinn has been injured so many times, it's a wonder she hasn't purchased stock in a hospital or HMO.

So far this season, the Cal State Northridge infielder/pitcher has suffered a concussion, busted lip, bruised cheek bone, sprained ankles and a dislocated finger.

However, she has missed just one of her team's 54 games.

``I love the smell of cut grass, the smell of wet dirt, being dirty from head to toe, wearing eyeblack, intimidating people,'' she said. ``I love the laces coming off my fingers (while pitching).''

You certainly can't keep her away from Fresno State this weekend, when the Matadors compete in the NCAA regional. Northridge (37-17) earned the second seed and will play No. 3 Cal on Friday at 5 p.m.

Shinn batted .283 with four home runs and 30 RBI. On the mound, she's 13-7 with a team-best 1.30 ERA and 12 hit batters, more than the rest of the staff combined.

That hard-nosed style of play led her to be honored with the Gary Torgeson Award, given to the player who has the best tenacity and determination. She also was named first-team All-Big West Conference.

Her competitiveness extends outside of the diamond, as well.

``If she can't do something, she won't stop trying until she does it,'' right fielder Laura Redding said.

Redding should know. The two opposed each other in high school, and a fight broke out between Redding's St. Francis and Shinn's Lindhurst teammates. It got so bad that St. Francis players couldn't go to the bathroom alone for fear of retribution from Lindhurst.

Neither Redding nor Shinn threw a punch, but they remembered each other. Redding thought Shinn was mean.

They became teammates at Sacramento City College. Redding realized Shinn wasn't mean, just competitive.

``You can't call it competitiveness,'' Redding said on second thought. ``It's a strong determination.''

Shinn so badly wants to be the best that she'll make a bet of it. She has a running joke with teammate Jodi Borenstein. During the road trip to Pacific, Shinn noticed a bush, about 3-feet high and 2-feet long. She bet Borenstein she could jump over it.

``No you can't,'' Borenstein said.

``When the season ends, I'll go back there and do it,'' said Shinn, a senior who lives in Sacramento.

``I'm sure she can do it,'' CSUN coach Janet Sherman said. ``She'll try something and then you have to worry about her getting hurt.''

Getting hurt is nothing unusual for Shinn:

Assistant coach Scia Maumausolo threw a ball and hit Shinn in the head at the Fullerton tournament, giving her a concussion.

She was set to field a ground ball in practice, but it skipped up and hit her in the mouth, busting her lip but requiring no stitches.

Her cheek turned purple after she was hit diving into second base. Again, she wasn't out of the lineup.

Against New Mexico State, the last batter of the game hit a ball that hit Shinn's hand, causing a bone to protrude through the skin. Many thought Shinn wouldn't pitch again, but she missed just one start, against UCLA.

``That was like a wakeup call,'' said Shinn, who will continue her career with the Georgia Pride of the Women's Professional Fastpitch League. ``I couldn't stand to watch. I'd rather play through the pain.''

And yet, she plays on because missing a game isn't an option she wants to consider. Neither is losing.

``You know how it feels to lose?'' Sherman said. ``When you lose, it hurts a lot. She wears the pain on her face: a fierce look of anger.''

Shinn will do everything she can to avoid that feeling this weekend. You can bet on that.

NCAA SOFTBALL REGIONAL

1. FRESNO STATE

Record: 45-10, 20-2 (WAC champion)

National ranking: 3

Coach: Margie Wright (13th season)

Regional appearances: 17 (1982-98)

Key players: 2B Nina Lindeberg (.459, 11 HR, 69 RBI), CF Laura Berg (.457, 95 hits, 66 runs), P Amanda Scott (20-3, 0.95 ERA, 155 IP, 151 K; .354, 64 hits, 66 RBI)

Outlook: Excellent. One team will advance to the College World Series, and it should be the Bulldogs. They have it all: hitting, fielding and pitching, plus the home-field advantage. They haven't lost there yet this season.

2. CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE

Record: 37-17, 22-9 (Big West champion)

National ranking: 18

Coach: Janet Sherman (fourth season)

Regional appearances: 7 (1992-98)

Key players: 1B Chelo Lopez (.379, 11 HR, 45 RBI), P Tara Glaister (19-9, 2.00 ERA, 164-2/3IP, 164 K), 3B/P Cheri Shinn (.283, 4 HR, 30 RBI; 13-7, 1.30 ERA)

Outlook: Good, but not as good as Fresno State. The Matadors likely will beat Cal on Friday, setting up a game with the hosts. A win would put the Matadors in the driver's seat, especially if rain forces the tournament to be cut short. In that case, two wins is enough to reach the CWS. Otherwise, it's three wins, and Fresno's home-field advantage will be hard to take away. Plus, CSUN is 10-14 against nationally ranked teams.

3. CALIFORNIA

Record: 34-25, 12-14 (4th in Pac-10)

National ranking: 24

Coach: Diane Ninemire (11th season)

Regional appearances: 14 (1982; 1986-98)

Key players: P Whitney Floyd (18-13, 1.46 ERA, 201-2/3 IP, 146 K), 2B Lisa Iancin (.312, 58 hits), P Holly Yost (5-5, 1.84 ERA; .301, 40 hits)

Outlook: Not good. Cal will run up against a Northridge team intent on revenge after Cal eliminated Northridge last year.

4. MINNESOTA

Record: 46-19, 14-9 (3rd in Big Ten)

National ranking: 22

Coach: Lisa Bernstein-O'Brien (7th season)

Regional appearances: 4 (1988-89, 1992, 1998)

Key players: SS Shannon Beeler (.418, 13 HR, 73 RBI), P Steph Klaviter (19-11, 1.69 ERA), 2B Laura Peters (.377).

Outlook: Don't bother. On the good side, the NCAA pays for the trip. Beeler's home runs and RBI numbers are school records.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: Northridge's Cheri Shinn

Phil McCarten/Daily News

Box: NCAA SOFTBALL REGIONAL (See Text)