NOTEBOOK : Kernen’s ‘Squeeze Play’ Carried Pointed Message

Bill Kernen, Redlands University psychology major, class of 1970, was up to old tricks during Cal State Northridge’s drive toward a berth in the NCAA Division I baseball regionals.

A month ago, after Northridge dropped a 4-3 decision to lowly U. S. International, the Matadors’ third-year coach decided to drive home a point with a rather elaborate psychological ploy.

It was not the first time Kernen had used such strategy. Last season, after Northridge had won a conference title, coaches and players made a bonfire with their all-conference plaques and championship trophy. The lesson in that case was that the Matadors still had work to do in the playoffs.

This time, Kernen’s objective was to light a fire under his team.

So, just before practice, Kernen summoned assistant Jody Robinson into a private conversation behind the batting cage at home plate as team members watched from the dugout.

Kernen explained his scheme. Act angrily, he told Robinson.

As Kernen made his way over to the dugout, Robinson sulked behind.

“I have some information for you,” Kernen told the Northridge players. “I just got off the phone with Bob Milano and there’s no way we can make the playoffs. I thought you should know.”

About then, Robinson, still hanging around the batting cage, picked up a baseball and fired it against the backstop screen. Act angrily, indeed.

Milano, baseball coach at California, was the West Coast representative on the nine-member NCAA playoff committee. Kernen went on to say that Milano explained that because Northridge was an independent it likely would be squeezed out at the end of the season when upsets occurred in conference tournaments that had automatic qualifying berths.

“The things I said were all real things that ended up happening to some teams,” Kernen said, recalling the conversation this week. “Basically I told them he said to forget it.”

The reaction from Northridge players was both predictable and unsuitable for print.

Finally, after going so far as to ask them if they wanted to curtail their practice schedule, Kernen unveiled his ruse.

“Everything I just told you never happened,” he said. “Except one thing: Keep doing what you’re doing and come out some days not ready to play, and next time it will be a real conversation. Remember the way you felt because it could happen if we don’t come down the stretch hard.”

Northridge won eight of its next 10 games and made the playoffs.

Ratings game: According to ratings by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball, the West regional II--the only regional with five ranked teams--is the most balanced of the eight NCAA Division I regionals.

In Baseball America, Miami is No. 9, Northridge No. 11, Stanford No. 12, Fresno No. 17 and San Diego State No. 24. In Collegiate Baseball, Miami is No. 6, Fresno No. 10, Stanford No. 11, Northridge No. 17 and San Diego State No. 20.

Opinion poll: Cal State Sacramento, like Northridge a Division I independent, still harbored hopes of earning a regional invitation last weekend before playing host to the Matadors for two games.

In fact, Hornet Coach John Smith went so far as to say his team--which already had lost two of three to Northridge--was the better of the two.

In an interview with the Sacramento Bee before the series Smith said: “They can’t hit with us and they can’t play catch with us. I’m looking forward to getting them in our yard.”

Northridge responded to the crack about its hitting by rapping 16 hits and defeating the Hornets, 13-7, in the first game of the series. “Yeah, that stuff about our hitting might have been mentioned a few times during that one,” Kernen said.

Smith also told the Bee, “They’ve got two great pitchers and that gets them by. The sad part is, if they beat us and get into the regional tournament, they’ll get smoked.”

Based on the accuracy of Smith’s other opinions, Kernen should be rather confident about the Matadors’ chances in West regional II.

Stats incredible: Northridge has outhit opponents, 591-420, and holds leads of 107-67 in doubles, 14-8 in triples and 60-31 in home runs. . . .

Matador pitchers have 37 complete games and starters have finished 30 of the past 36. The Northridge staff has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 8.2 to 3.4 per game. . . .

Craig Clayton pitched his 14th complete game, a school single-season record, Saturday against Sacramento State. He has a school-record 150 strikeouts in 145 innings this season and a record 253 in his career. . . .

Scott Richardson is the only Matador in double figures in stolen bases. He has 19 of Northridge’s 47 this season and has been caught only three times.

Miscellaneous: Miami is the only school in the regional Northridge has not played. Fresno State and San Diego State are regulars on the Northridge schedule. Fresno holds a 29-12 series advantage over CSUN, but the Matadors have a 17-16 edge over San Diego State. Stanford leads its series with Northridge, 3-1-1, but the Matadors have a 1-0-1 edge over Portland. . . .

Northridge and Miami are the only two independents in the 48-team Division I field. . . .

The Northridge baseball team previously has appeared in NCAA regionals 13 times, all either at the College Division or Division II levels. The Matadors won Division II national championships in 1970 and ’84. . . .

KCSN, Northridge’s campus radio station, will broadcast Matador games on 88.5 FM beginning tonight at 7:30. Dan Dibbley and Todd Thorton are the announcers.