Northridge Does the Little Things and Comes Up Big, 3-2

LONG BEACH — Like a long home run, word of Cal State Northridge’s power numbers travels fast and far.

Word of Tuesday night’s 3-2 nonconference victory over Long Beach State also will travel fast and far, it being the kind of impressive triumph over a quality opponent that the Matadors need to remain ranked among the nation’s elite.

The victory was Northridge’s seventh in a row. The Matadors had a 14-game winning streak earlier this season.

The 63 home runs, 56 doubles, .326 team batting average and nine runs per game are a main reason the Matadors are ranked No. 5 by Collegiate Baseball.

Northridge (29-6) has eclipsed last season’s victory total.

The Matadors managed only three singles, but good baserunning, strong pitching and clutch defense were enough to overcome the 49ers (18-12).

Exhibit A: A safety squeeze by Ryan Hurd scored David Stevenson with the eventual winning run in the fourth inning.

Exhibit B: A Long Beach double-steal attempt was thwarted in the fourth when catcher Robert Fick threw to shortstop Adam Kennedy, who quickly returned a throw to Fick, who tagged out J.J. Newkirk on a close play at the plate.

Exhibit C: Jason Knupfer was hit by a pitch to lead off the Long Beach sixth, but first baseman Grant Hohman charged hard on a bunt by Newkirk and nailed Knupfer at second.

Northridge scored twice in the second. Hurd singled and Adam Kennedy was hit by a pitch. Kurt Airoso singled home Hurd and Kennedy scored on a passed ball.

Gary Stephenson, Erasmo Ramirez (7-1) and Robert Crabtree shut down Long Beach.

Stephenson allowed a solo home run by Jeff Tagliaferri and Ramirez gave up a solo shot to Will Skett to lead off the eighth.

Crabtree recorded his second save by retiring the side in the eighth and overcoming an error by second baseman Cesar Martinez with two out in the ninth to get pinch-hitter Jason Hodges on a pop up and strand two runners.

Matador notes

Northridge catcher Robert Fick had his hitting streak end at 27 games when he was hitless in three official at-bats and walked. . . . Three Long Beach State regulars are Valley products: outfielder Will Skett, first baseman Jeff Tagliaferri and catcher Casey Snow. . . . Skett, from Reseda High and Valley College, is the 49ers’ leading hitter with a .336 average; Tagliaferri, from Kennedy High, is a three-year starter batting .330; Snow, from Crespi High and the son of 49er Coach Dave Snow, is batting .272. . . . Long Beach State relief pitcher Justin Siegel, who struck out four in two scoreless innings against Northridge on Tuesday, is from Taft High.