CSUN’s Vasey Wins, but Kernen at a Loss

HONOLULU — The coach looked for the words to explain how right-hander Brian Vasey, normally a utility man for Cal State Northridge, came to be inserted into the starting rotation.

Try desperation.

“It was pretty much out of necessity,” Coach Bill Kernen said. “Who else do we have?”

Friday night, Vasey and a couple of runs were all Kernen needed.

Vasey, starting because of injuries to two Northridge pitchers, helped the Matadors shock Hawaii, 2-1, in a Western Athletic Conference game before a capacity crowd of 2,673 at Rainbow Stadium.

Vasey’s eight-hitter was so improbably impressive that Kernen struggled to find words to properly frame it. His memory was on full scan. At one point, he actually stammered.

“You know, I watch Hawaii games on TV all the time,” Kernen said. “I don’t ever remember anybody coming into Rainbow Stadium and winning, 2-1.

“This was a major, significant performance.”

Vasey, making only his third pitching appearance since his senior year at Simi Valley High in 1991, responded to every daunting challenge--and there were plenty.

Vasey surrendered a one-out triple to Shawn Rogers with one out in the ninth with the Matadors leading by a run.

It was starting to look like a replay of Vasey’s tough no-decision against Long Beach State on April 4, when the bullpen blew a four-run lead in the ninth.

“I wasn’t really scared,” Vasey said.

“There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that we weren’t going to win. I wasn’t gonna allow us to lose.”

He didn’t. Vasey (1-0) blew two wicked split-finger fastballs past first baseman Chris Garnett, then retired him on an popup.

Tyler Cheff, who already had two of Hawaii’s hits, skied to second to end it.

Vasey, who threw 108 pitches, walked one and struck out five.

He was matched almost every step of the way by Bobby Moore, a 6-foot-6 right-hander who pitched a four-hitter, struck out 10 and gave up one earned run. From the start, though, it wasn’t his night.

Northridge center fielder Joey Arnold, the game’s second batter, lined a shot that left fielder Kirk Taguchi misplayed for a two-base error and scored on a single by Jason Shanahan.

Moore (6-4) walked only two batters, both in the fifth, and it cost him the ballgame.

Kevin Howard walked to lead off and was sacrificed to second by Tyler Nelson. After a walk to Jonathan Campbell, freshman catcher Eric Gillespie drilled a run-scoring single into center for a 2-1 lead.

“The way they were throwing, I went up there figuring that (Howard) could be the run that decided it,” Gillespie said. “I definitely wasn’t thinking, ‘Oh, it’s just another at-bat.’ ”

Northridge (20-20, 8-5 in conference play) managed one hit thereafter as Moore retired 14 of the last 15 batters.

As solid as Vasey was on the hill, the defense was afield.

With Hawaii (22-20, 4-9) trailing by a run in the third inning, Taguchi singled to center to drive in Sy Farinas from third. Jaime Ahu attempted to score from second on the play, but was shot down at home by Arnold.

Campbell, the left fielder, made the defensive play of the year in the eighth when Taguchi sent a high fly into foul territory.

Campbell bolted across the foul stripe and plowed into a chest-high chain-link fence as he caught the ball, then bounced backward onto his wallet. The spectacular play made several TV highlight reels.

The Matadors moved to within one-half game of first-place San Diego State (8-4 in conference) in the WAC West Division standings.

Now that Northridge satisfied its initial goal of winning at least once in Hawaii, Vasey had a hankering for more.

“This is just the first one,” Vasey said. “I hate losing. I want all three.”