Memorable Matador Moments - Softball Reaches National Championship Game

In this ongoing feature, GoMatadors.com takes a look back at some of the most memorable moments in CSUN Athletics history. Today, we revisit 1994 when the CSUN softball team reached the national championship game of the Women's College World Series

Coming off a 1993 season in which CSUN reached the Women's College World Series for the first time, the Matadors looked to build upon the momentum in 1994. Ranked sixth in the preseason, CSUN opened the season with a doubleheader split against No. 16 Cal State Fullerton. From there, the Matadors mounted a nine-game winning streak that included six victories over nationally-ranked opponents including three against No. 5 Long Beach State.

After having the streak ended by San José State, CSUN won the next seven in a row by a combined 65-0. The Matadors, now ranked sixth in the regular-season poll, split a home doubleheader against No. 11 Kansas and swept a home twin-bill from Ohio State before going 4-1 at the Cal State Fullerton Pony Tournament.

Western Athletic Conference play got underway in earnest as CSUN took 3-of-4 from Sacramento State and No. 5 Fresno State. The Matadors stepped out of conference play for an Apr. 6 doubleheader which saw No. 6 CSUN sweep No. 4 UCLA by a combined score of 8-2.

After splitting a doubleheader against New Mexico, CSUN rattled off seven wins in a row as the Matadors moved up to No. 4 in the polls. CSUN split a doubleheader against No. 15 Utah on Apr. 22. The Matadors concluded the regular season by winning 10 in a row, highlighted by a sweep of No. 5 Fresno State on May 13.

Ranked third, CSUN was named host of the No. 3 NCAA Tournament Regional and opened the postseason with an 8-0 victory against Maine. In a winners-bracket matchup, the No. 4 Matadors handed No. 20 Cal State Fullerton a 9-0 defeat. The Titans battled back, defeating Washington 4-0 and the Matadors 2-0 to set up a winner-take-all for the right to go to Oklahoma City.

After a scoreless first two innings, the Matadors loaded the bases in the top of the third. Jennifer Parker doubled to left to drive in a pair of runs. Jen Fleming's two-run home run in the top of the fourth made it 4-0 and proved to be enough for Amy Windmiller who tossed a complete-game three-hitter to punch CSUN's ticket back to the WCWS.

May 26 would be the date for CSUN's Women's College World Series opener against Missouri. Scoreless after three before the Matadors loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth. Scia Maumausolo singled to plate Fleming. Shannon Jones' sacrifice fly drove in Beth Calacante. After a pitching change, Kelly Hunt singled in Tamara Ivie. Terri Pearson's RBI single scored Parker to round out the rally.

The Tigers scored twice in the top of the fifth before Ivie added an RBI double in the bottom of the inning. Missouri's Mary Babb doubled in a run in the top of the seventh before Windmiller retired the next three in a row to secure the victory.

Next up for CSUN was the third meeting with WAC rival, and No. 9 Utah. Kathy Blake-Small recorded a complete-game five-hitter as the Matadors defeated the Utes 5-1. Beth Calcante smacked a two-run home run in the top of the first as she went 2-for-4. Fleming also added two hits.

After a day off, CSUN met No. 4 Oklahoma State in a bracket final. Both teams scored in the fourth. OSU went up 2-1 in the fifth on an April Austin RBI single. The Matadors tied the score in the bottom of the sixth when Shelby Wilcox scored on an Amy Day wild pitch. The score remained 2-2 through the next eight innings. In the top of the 15th, the Cowgirls put the first two batters on base. Laura Quinoz sac bunt advanced pinch-runner Koni Couts and Karie Langeller into scoring position. Austin's sacrifice fly scored Couts for the game-winning run.

As a result of Oklahoma State's victory, the teams would play for a second time on May 29 to determine an opponent for the national championship game against No. 1 Arizona. The game was scoreless through three innings. Fleming opened the fourth with a double. Calcante's sacrifice bunt was successful as she reached first on an error on the play as Fleming came around from first on the error to score.

Ivie singled before Calcante homered to provide CSUN with a 4-run lead. Quiroz homered with one out in the top of the fifth. Kim Ward singled in Austin to make it 4-2. 4-2 would be the final score as Windmiller retired the final seven batters to send the Matadors into the championship game.

Leah O'Brien went 3-for-3 with two runs scored as Arizona defeated CSUN 4-0 in the final game. The Wildcats would score a run in each of the first three innings and one more in the fifth. Susie Parra recorded a one-hitter for the Wildcats, a Calcante double in the top of the first. Jones, CSUN ended the year with a Division I school-record 52 wins against 10 losses. Fleming and Calcante were named to the All-WCWS Tournament team.

The Matadors amassed the honors throughout the season and postseason. Windmiller was named first-team All-American, first-team All-Region, and first-team All-Conference. Ivie was chosen third-team All-American, first-team All-Region, and first-team All-Conference. Jones completed a trio of All-Americans with third-team honors. Jones was also named first-team All-Region and first-team All-Conference.

Calcante and Windmiller both were selected first-team All-Region along with Terri Pearson. Blake-Small and Calcante were both chosen first-team All-Conference. Maumausolo and Vicky Rios rounded out it would with honorable-mention All-Conference honors.

~#UniteTheValley~

California State University Northridge Athletics

Memorable Matador Moments - Softball Reaches National Championship Game

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