California State University at Northridge
UCLA
Matadors Return to Postseason with NCAA Tournament at UCLA
5/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The regional concludes Sunday, May 17 with at least one game and a possible second game if necessary to determine who advances to the Super Regionals the following weekend. The entire regional will be broadcast live online at ESPN3, live stats are available and fans are also encouraged to check with the CSUN Athletic Department's official Twitter accounts (@GoMatadors & @CSUN_InGame) for updates throughout the weekend.
Last week, CSUN wrapped up its first outright Big West Conference title since 1998 with a 4-3 comeback victory at Cal State Fullerton. Down to her final strike, junior Ariana Wassmer belted a two-run single to give the Matadors a one-run lead. In the bottom of the seventh, senior Brianna Elder sealed the victory with two strikeouts.
This week, CSUN returns to the postseason for the first time since the 2007 season and for the first time as the Big West's representative since 1998. The Matadors' first opponent in the regional is the UCLA Bruins, the No. 7 national seed in the tournament. The Bruins enter the regional with a 45-10 overall record and boast a powerful array of hitting and pitching. At the plate, UCLA sports a .372 team batting average, .607 team slugging percentage and .474 team on-base percentage. The Bruins have totaled 95 doubles, 13 triples and 72 home runs on the season to go with 59 stolen bases and 440 runs.
In the circle, the Bruins sport a team ERA of 2.67 with 12 shutouts and 372 strikeouts in over 351 innings of work. Opponents have batted .220 off UCLA pitching while drawing 173 walks for the year. The Bruins have allowed just 28 doubles, five triples and 35 home runs this year and have limited opponents to a .327 on-base percentage.
UCLA posted a 6-4 victory in 10 innings over CSUN earlier this season at Matador Diamond. CSUN last defeated the Bruins in the 2013 season, walking off with a 3-2 win at home on a two-run home run. The Matadors' last victories on the road in the series came in a doubleheader sweep during the 1998 season.
The San Diego Aztecs enter the weekend with a 36-18 overall record and are another familiar foe for the Matadors. CSUN owns a 35-17-1 record in the all-time series with SDSU, but has lost the last four meetings. The Matadors' last victory in the series came in a 5-4 victory in San Diego in the 2010 season.
At the plate, the Aztecs own a .314 team batting average, .492 team slugging percentage and .399 on-base percentage. San Diego State has totaled 73 doubles, five triples and 59 home runs to go with 40 stolen bases and 312 runs scored. In the circle, the Aztecs sport a team ERA of 3.78 with five shutouts and 187 strikeouts in 359 innings of work. Opponents have totaled a .303 batting average with 70 doubles, 11 triples and 35 home runs against SDSU pitching in 2015.Â
The Texas Longhorns enter the weekend with a 37-15 overall record and a 12-6 mark in the Big 12 Conference. The Longhorns and Matadors have not met since 2012, a 4-0 Texas victory, and the Longhorns lead the all-time series 5-3. At the plate, Texas boasts a .303 team batting average, .480 team slugging percentage and .393 team on-base percentage. The Longhorns have totaled 58 doubles, 12 triples and 53 home runs to go with 45 stolen bases and 302 runs on the year.
In the circle, Texas sports a team ERA of 2.94 to go with 13 shutouts and 338 strikeouts in 340 innings of work. The Longhorns have held opponents to a .237 batting average and 48 doubles, eight triples and 39 home runs on the season.
Follow Your Matadors Online
Related links to game coverage, including for any live stats, audio and video, will be posted before the game on the softball schedule page of GoMatadors.com. Fans are also encouraged to check the CSUN Athletics Department's official Twitter feed (@GoMatadors) for updates of games in progress and news and notes throughout the week.Â
Take Your Seat in the Front Row
Fans can now follow all of the action for CSUN's 19 varsity sports right from their phone or tablet! CSUN Front Row, the official mobile app of Matador Athletics, is available for free for iOS and Android devices. Fans can also access live stats coverage of a majority of CSUN home events, as well as audio and video links when available. For more information, search for CSUN Front Row on the App Store or Google Play or visit GoMatadors.com/frontrow.
