California State University at Northridge
41-17
San Diego State
37-19
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: ROMERO, Erica (35-16)
L: Conley, Zoe (19-7)
Batting:
2B: Horne, Cortney 1
HR: Horne, Cortney 1
RBI: Wassmer, Ariana 1 ; Horne, Cortney 1 ; Sherman, Carissa 1
SH: Horvath, Savannah 1
SF: Wassmer, Ariana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Glover, Taylor 1 ; Horvath, Savannah 1 ; Horne, Cortney 1 ; Toerner, Kaitlin 1
SB: Horvath, Savannah 1
HBP: Mitchell, Maylynn 1
Batting:
2B: BAUER, Lorena 1
HR: BAUER, Lorena 1
RBI: RUIZ, Leia 1 ; BAUER, Lorena 4
Base Running:
RUNS: JORDAN, Kayla 1 ; RUIZ, Leia 1 ; BAUER, Lorena 1 ; MILES, Hayley 1 ; CAMELLO, Samantha 1
SB: JORDAN, Kayla 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
San Diego State Edges CSUN Softball in NCAA Tournament Finale
5/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
En Español
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --- The CSUN softball team (41-17) lost 5-4 to San Diego State Saturday afternoon in an NCAA Tournament game in the Los Angeles Regional at Easton Stadium. Cortney Horne blasted a home run and a double, but the Aztecs broke a 4-4 tie with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to eliminate the Matadors.
Late in the contest and tied at 4-4, it looked like the Matadors would escape a pair of San Diego State threats unscathed.Â
In the bottom of the fifth, CSUN pitcher Zoe Conley (19-7) worked herself out of a major jam. The Aztecs put runners on second and third with no outs. However, she got two strikeouts and a groundout to end the threat and keep the game tied.
In the bottom of the sixth, SDSU threatened again, loading the bases with no outs. Conley got a fly out to left field and Taylor Nate cut down the runner at the plate for a key double play. However, the next Aztec walked and a two-out single gave them the 5-4 advantage.
In the top of the seventh, CSUN rallied all the way to the bitter end. Katie Hooper singled with one out and Maylynn Mitchell was hit by a pitch with two outs. However, the final out went down swinging to end a tough contest.
"Today was a great game with both teams making some great defensive plays and big pitches in key spots. We just came up a little short in the end against a talented team," CSUN head coach Tairia Flowers said. "I am proud of the way we competed until the final strike. Cortney had some great at-bats in the game and we look forward to watching her mature and improve. This was a great season, we won the Big West Conference and no one can ever take that away from us."Â
CSUN struck for a run in the first inning. Taylor Glover reached on an error and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Savannah Horvath. With two outs in the inning, Glover came in to score on a wild pitch. The run was Glover's 49THÂ of the season, moving her into fifth in school history for a single season.
In the third, CSUN added a run. Horvath led off the inning by reaching on a two-base error. She then stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly from Ariana Wassmer.
Unfortunately, the lead was short lived for CSUN. In the bottom of the third, the Aztecs scored four runs, including a three-run home run, to take a 4-2 lead. Brianna Elder, the CSUN starter, allowed the first RBI hit and Zoe Conley allowed the three-run home run.
CSUN responded quickly. In the top of the fourth, Cortney Horne led off the frame with a double. Kaitlin Toerner pinch-ran for her and moved to third on a single from pinch-hitter Daphne Pofek. With runners on the corners, Carissa Sherman dropped down an RBI single on a bunt to score Toerner. Â
However, with the bases loaded and one out, the next two Matadors recorded outs to leave the tying run on third base.
With two outs in the top of the fifth, Horne launched her third home run of the season to tie the game. The RBI was her 15th of the season.
CSUN finished the season at 41-17 overall. The Matadors won their first outright Big West Conference title since 1998 and recorded their first 40-win season since 1996.
The Matadors picked up several Big West individual awards: Hooper won Big West Player of the Year after leading the league with 16 home runs and 56 RBIs, Conley earned Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year and Horvath was named Co-Freshman Field Player of the Year.
CSUN head coach Tairia Flowers was also named Big West Coach of the Year. Â The game marked the final contest for CSUN's four-member senior class: Crystal Maas, Jordan Sauceda, Elder and Toerner.