Matadors Fatten Up on ‘Birds

NORTHRIDGE — Cal State Northridge is making double time in its race to the regionals.

The Matadors wedged another game onto their schedule Friday, playing a seven-inning contest before their regularly scheduled game against Southern Utah. Northridge swept, 4-2 and 17-5, and will face the Thunderbirds in another doubleheader today.

Two more victories are mandatory for the Matadors (38-18-1), who as an independent must gain an at-large entry into the NCAA postseason.

Southern Utah (8-35), also a Division I independent, is playing out the last weekend of a dismal season. But the Thunderbirds weren’t easy prey in the opener, taking a 2-0 lead in the third inning.

Jamie Burton (1-11), whose only victory came after he blew a save, kept Northridge quiet until Adam Kennedy hit an opposite-field home run to tie the score in the bottom of the third. The Matadors scored two more runs in the fifth on three consecutive singles and Kennedy’s sacrifice fly, but it took a strong performance by right-hander Jason Cole (5-4) to cement the victory.

Cole allowed seven hits, but only one after the third inning. He walked none and has walked only 11 in 80 2/3 innings.

“I wasn’t giving in at all,” Cole said. “I got a few pitches up, but I was going right after them.”

Left-hander Benny Flores (11-3) took the same approach in the nine-inning second game, walking one in seven innings. By the time he exited, Northridge led, 12-1.

Kennedy also homered in the second game, his 24th, and drove in seven runs in the two games.

The entire Matador lineup awoke in the second game. Leadoff hitter Terrmel Sledge doubled twice, tripled and singled, Matt Pitstick had three hits, and Andy Wilson, Clark Parker, Jose Miranda and Kennedy each had two.

Matador notes

Terrmel Sledge went six for nine in the doubleheader to extend his hitting streak to 22 games and raise his batting average to .402. . . . Adam Kennedy was five for six and is batting .476. Kennedy is two home runs shy of the Northridge career record of 51, set by Scott Sharts in 1990-91. . . . Benny Flores allowed one run in seven innings to lower his team-leading earned-run average to 3.15. . . . Northridge has won 17 of its past 22 games.