Northridge’s First Losing Season Since ’88 Ends in Cloud of Dust

FRESNO — Nobody had to put the words in Josh Smaler’s mouth.

All he had to do was look at Jason Shanahan, laying face-down at home plate in a cloud of dust, and it came to him in an instant.

“Fitting,” he said.

Shanahan was thrown out at the plate for the final out of the season in the ninth inning as Fresno State hung on for an 8-7 victory over Cal State Northridge in a Western Athletic Conference regular-season finale at Beiden Field.

The three-game series sweep by the Bulldogs (36-23, 15-9 in conference play) pulled them into a first-place tie in the WAC West Division standings and forced a makeup doubleheader at 3 p.m. today between host San Diego State and Cal State Sacramento.

Northridge (25-30, 12-12) lost its fourth game in a row and for the sixth time in seven games. The Matadors finished below .500 for the first time since 1988.