CSUN Opens Softball Season This Weekend

Friday, February 8

Tempe, Ariz.

11:30 a.m.

California State University at Northridge

Oregon State

Photo by: Samuel Ware

CSUN Opens Softball Season This Weekend

2/6/2019 7:39:00 AM | Softball

Softball Notebook

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.-- For the ninth time in the past 10 years, CSUN will begin the softball season at Arizona State's Kajikawa Classic. This weekend's action gets underway on Friday when the Matadors face Oregon State at 11:30 a.m. and No. 25 Oregon at 4:30 p.m.

Oregon State went 30-28 in 2018, finishing sixth in the Pac-12 with a 9-14 mark. Jessica Garcia is the top returning hitter (.297). Meehra Nelson (16-11) is the top returner in the circle for Oregon State. The Beavers defeated the Matadors 8-3 during the CSUN Tournament last season. CSUN leads the all-time series 20-10-1.

Oregon is ranked 25th in the preseason USA Today/NFCA Top 25. The Ducks won the Pac-12 last season, going 53-10, and making an appearance in the Women's College World Series.

The Ducks struggled with departures and injuries in the offseason with only five letterwinners coming back to play for Oregon in the 2019 season. This is the second consecutive season in which Oregon and CSUN are playing on opening day. The Ducks defeated the Matadors 15-6 last season to take a 14-8 all-time series lead.

Saturday's action gets underway at 11 a.m. against Utah. The game will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks as well as stream online at Pac-12.com. Anne Marie Anderson and Amanda Freed will be on the call. In addition to streaming on Pac12.com, check your local listings for the channel in your area.

Utah is coming off a 20-30 2018 campaign in which the Utes struggled to a 2-21 Pac-12 mark. Utah returns 11 letterwinners and seven starters to the lineup. This is the 40th time in which CSUN and Utah are playing softball with the Matadors leading the all-time series 24-13-2.

Saturday's play wraps up against Western Michigan at 4:30 p.m. Coverage (for a fee) can be found on FloSoftball.com. Western Michigan posted a 29-25 record in 2018. Sophomore Samantha Coffel is the top returning Bronco. She hit .365 with six home runs and 39 RBI. This is the sixth time that CSUN and Western Michigan are playing each other with the Matadors leading the all-time series 3-2.

The tournament concludes against the host Arizona State. Play on the Pac-12 Networks against No. 12 Sun Devils begins at 12 p.m. Sunday's game will also be televised by the Pac-12 Network with Anderson and Freed on air. In addition to streaming on Pac12.com, check your local listings for the channel in your area.

Arizona State reached the 2018 Women's College World Series, going 48-13 overall, 16-8 in Pac-12 play. The Sun Devils are ranked 12th USA Today/NFCA Top 25 as well as the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 polls.

ASU pitcher Cielo Meza was named to the Top 50 Watch List for the 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in January. She went 22-4 last season for Long Beach State, earning Big West Pitcher of the Year honors. This is the 20th time that the teams are matching up with Arizona State leading the all-time series 10-9. CSUN broke a 24-game losing streak to nationally ranked opponents when the Matadors defeated No. 20 Long Beach State 6-5 in the 2018 season finale.

Please note all times listed are Pacific. Arizona does not use daylight savings time. Consequently, the state is one hour ahead of Pacific time at this time of the year.

CSUN was picked fifth in the Big West Conference preseason softball poll released Thursday afternoon.

The league's eight coaches gave Cal State Fullerton the nod of favorite for the 2019 Big West title in voting among the league's head coaches. The three-time defending Big West champions claimed six first place votes on the way to 62 points for the top spot in the preseason poll.

Long Beach State was second in preseason polling, garnering one first-place vote while gathering 55 points in total. UC Davis wrapped up the top three with 34 points and one first place vote. Fourth place belonged to Hawai'i with 33 votes.

Fifth place went to the Matadors with 32 points, followed by UC Riverside in sixth place. Cal Poly (26 points) and UC Santa Barbara (16 points) wrapped up poll.

Ninth-year head coach Tairia Flowers returns 19 letter winners, eight starters, and five pitchers to a CSUN squad that went 23-36, 8-13 in the Big West a year ago. Four Matadors; Jillian James (All-Freshman), Mackenzie Babbitt (second team), Jessica Alexander (second team), and Megan Stevens (honorable mention) return with All-Conference honors.

CSUN welcomes six freshmen to the roster; Sarah Duran (California HS); Sami Garcia (San Dimas HS); Aaliyah Swan (Joseph A. Gregori HS); Maddie Johnson (Paraclete HS); Elise Madison (Pleasant Grove HS); and Kiarra Crockett-Pope (Cerritos HS).

~www.GoMatadors.com~