California State University Northridge Athletics
California State University at Northridge
Cal Poly
CSUN Travels to Cal Poly for Big West Series
4/22/2016 10:00:00 AM | Softball
Matadors Look to Continue Climbing Standings vs. Mustangs
CSUN Team Notes
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN softball team (25-19, 5-4) travels to the California Central Coast this weekend for a three-game Big West Conference series at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA. On Saturday, April 23, the Matadors and Mustangs will play a doubleheader at Bob Janssen Field beginning at 1 p.m. and then conclude the series with a single game on Sunday, April 24 also at 1 p.m. Live stats will be available for all three games over the weekend and fans are also encouraged to check with the CSUN softball team's official Twitter handle (@CSUNSoftball) for updates throughout the weekend.Â
Last week, CSUN broke out of a four-way tie for third at 3-3 to vault all the way into second behind a conference series victory over UC Santa Barbara at Matador Diamond. Junior Daphne Pofek was outstanding in her two complete-game victories, not allowing an earned run over 14 innings against one of the Big West's top offensive clubs. She enters the weekend with a sterling 5-0 record and 1.14 ERA in the league campaign thus far.Â
At the plate, CSUN flexed its offensive muscle and hit five home runs against the Gauchos over the three games. Sophomore Savannah Horvath hit a pair of three-run home runs in both CSUN victories and Karlie Habitz, Katie Hooper and Taylor Nate all left the yard for the Matadors. Hooper's home run was the 24th of her CSUN career, moving her into a tie for seventh in program history while Horvath leads the club and is second in the Big West with a career-high 10 deep flies.Â
This weekend, CSUN faces one of the conference's hottest clubs in the Cal Poly Mustangs. After starting the league season 0-6, Cal Poly went to Long Beach State and swept the three-game series at 49ers Diamond. The Mustangs followed that performance up with a doubleheader split against California, shutting out the Golden Bears 5-0 in the game two victory.
The Mustangs are 20-18 overall and as a team are batting .274 with 46 doubles, seven triples and seven home runs on the season. Cal Poly has 17 stolen bases, carries a .351 team on-base percentage and sports a .959 fielding percentage. CSUN swept the season series with Cal Poly last season, winning all three games at Matador Diamond.Â
Individually, Stephanie Heyward paces the club with a .388 batting average, 22 runs scored and three triples. Sierra Hyland is batting .380 with a team-high nine doubles and 23 RBIs while Breana West checks in at .327 with seven doubles, 14 RBIs and 14 walks to eight strikeouts on the season.Â
In the circle, Lindsey Chalmers won Big West Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing a pair of complete-game shutouts at Long Beach State. She is 8-10 on the season with a 3.75 ERA, but against Big West opposition she carries a 2-3 mark with a 2.50 ERA in 36.1 innings of work. Heyward has started four games in Big West play and is 1-3 but owns a 1.13 ERA in 23.2 innings of work.Â
Hyland is 10-4 on the year in the circle with 1.64 ERA and 154 Ks in 102.2 innings of work, but has battled a hand injury recently and returned to the circle with two innings of relief in the game one loss to Cal on April 21.
CSUN Team Notes
- Madalyne Handy stole a career-high two bases in the Matadors' win over UC Santa Barbara on April 17
- Taylor Glover batted an even .500 (56-112) in 35 Non-Conference Games in the 2016 seasons
- Mackenzie Babbitt set new career highs with three runs scored and two hits at CSU Bakersfield on Mar. 29
- With 31 career stolen bases, sophomore Savannah Horvath already ranks eighth in program history
- The Matadors lead the Big West in home runs (35) and stolen base attempts (87) as of April 18
- Horvath ranks second in the Big West Conference with a career-high 10 home runs
- Taylor Troost recorded a six-inning no-hitter against Idaho State on Mar. 18
- Katie Hooper is fifth in program history with 119 career RBIs and has 27 RBIs this season
- Glover enters the weekend with 120 runs scored in her career, the fifth-most in CSUN program history
- The winning team in each of CSUN's last five games, whether it was the Matadors or their opponent, has scored six runs
- Daphne Pofek leads the Matadors with a 3.10 ERA for the season, a figure that represents a new career best
- Karlie Habitz has thrown out seven base runners caught stealing, tying for the most in the Big West Conference
- Ariana Wassmer leads Big West in defensive putouts (315) and fielding double plays (16)
Next Week
CSUN remains on the road next week, traveling to UC Riverside for its final conference road series of the season. The Matadors and Highlanders will play a doubleheader on Saturday, April 30 and a single game on Sunday, May 1 with both days slated for a 1 p.m. start. Â
