Ramirez Bounces Back From Injury in 9-2 CSUN Win

Excuse pitcher Leo Ramirez for being away from the Cal State Northridge baseball field recently.

A few weeks ago at practice, the junior right-hander was in center field while a coach was hitting fungoes. He didn’t see it coming, but, without a bounce, a fly ball hit him below the belt. He suffered an excruciating, well, groin injury.

“It was something you don’t ever want to experience,” said Ramirez, only moments after picking up a 9-2 nonconference win Friday over Westmont. “Especially if you’re planning on having children.”

Not only did his sense of humor survive the painful blow, but his arm did, too. Ramirez mustered enough intestinal fortitude Friday to pitch six full innings and allow just one hit for CSUN (13-7) on a cool afternoon at Matador Diamond. The hit, a third-inning double by Westmont’s Billy Cannon, scored Stephan Brown for the game’s first run.

“Going into the season, we were really counting on Leo,” CSUN Coach Terry Craven said. “But he had only pitched in one game before he was injured, so there was a question. About a week ago he came back to a point where we could tell he could go all the way.”

Ramirez, aware of the one-hitter, wanted to go all the way but was relieved by Robert Wheatcroft, who set down nine straight batters to finish up.

Said Craven: “After you have a guy throw a one-hitter like Ramirez did, it’s nice to have a guy like Wheatcroft come in and get nine guys just like that.”

Westmont (10-9) pitching didn’t have it so easy. CSUN had 10 hits, including three in the third inning giving the Matadors a 3-1 lead, all they would need. Pierre Rodnunsky opened the inning with a single to left off Westmont starter and loser Craig Fowler. Fowler then struck out Lenn Gilmore but Craig Burns doubled, advancing Rodnunsky to third. Fowler then struck out John Balfanz.

With two out and two on, left fielder Mark Anderson drove a Fowler fastball over the left-field fence for a home run.

Burns doubled in two runs in CSUN’s four-run fourth, second baseman Tom Brandt singled in a run in the fifth and Balfanz accounted for the Matadors’ final run in the sixth with a home run that is probably still rolling somewhere on the Northridge campus.

“I like the results from today a lot better,” said Craven, referring to CSUN’s California Collegiate Athletic Assn. opener Thursday that the Matadors lost, 8-4, to Cal Poly Pomona. “They were especially good after yesterday since we had a game today to come right back. That has to do something for our confidence, coming back and getting a win.”

Burns finished with two doubles and two RBIs for the Matadors.