CSUN Softball Enters Mary Nutter Classic This Week

Softball Notebook

NORTHRDIGE, Calif.—The CSUN Softball team (5-5) returns to the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic for the first time since the 2018 season this week.

CSUN opens the tournament against Bethune-Cookman Thursday at 1 p.m. The Wildcats went 3-2 at the Orlando Spring Games last weekend to improve to 4-5 on the year. Haley Parks is the Bethune-Cookman's leading hitter (.304). Halyne Gonzalez is 2-0 in four appearances. She has struck out 17 in 17.1 innings. Hannah Ortega is 2-1 with a save as she has pitched 25 innings. This is the first time that CSUN and Bethune-Cookman are playing softball.

The Matadors begin play on Friday against Seattle University at 5:30 before concluding the night at 8 p.m. against Iowa State. After a 2-3 tournament record at the Stanford Invitational last weekend, the Redhawks are 7-3 overall. Madison Kahwaty leads Seattle University in batting (.370). She has two home runs (2) and is second on the team in RBI (6). Carley Nance also has two home runs and is leading the squad in RBI (11).

Stefanie Madrigal has started five times and has gone 4-1 with a 1.75 ERA. She has struck out 16 in 32 innings. CSUN is 7-2 lifetime against Seattle University. The teams last played on Mar. 14, 2020, when CSUN defeated SU 3-2 at the Libby Matson Classic.

Iowa State improved to 8-1 after winning four games in Washington D.C. Feb. 20-21. The Cyclones outscored their opponents 44-6 during the stretch. Mikayla Ramos is hitting .500 (15-30) with five home runs and 18 RBI. She has posted a 1.200 slugging and .568 on-base percentage through nine games this season. Ellie Spelhaug and Karlie Charles have both pitched 16.1 innings this season for Iowa State. Spelhaug is 2-1 while Charles is 2-0 with a save. The duo has combined for 29 strikeouts.

CSUN and Iowa State are playing for the first time since Mar. 14, 2009, when the Matadors defeated the Cyclones 2-0 at the San Diego Classic. CSUN leads the all-time series 7-1.

CSUN wraps up the tournament Saturday when CSUN faces a pair of Pac-12 foes in Utah at noon and Oregon State at 3 p.m. The Utes went 4-1 last weekend at UC San Diego's La Jolla Invitational. Utah enters this week with a 6-4 record. Ellessa Bonstrom is hitting .483 with three home runs and 14 RBI. She also paces the squad with a .931 slugging percentage and a .575 on-base percentage.

Sydney Sandez has made eight appearances in the circle and has made four starts. She is 4-0 with a save and has recorded two shutouts. Sandez struck out 26 in 32 innings. CSUN and Utah are playing for the 41st time with the Matadors leading the all-time series 24-14-2.

Saturday will be the first of two scheduled games between CSUN and Oregon State. The Beavers recorded a 4-1 mark at the University of San Diego Tournament last weekend. Oregon State is 7-3. Frankie Hammoude is 19th in Division I this week in batting with a .538 average. Her six home runs are the second most in D-1 this week. She has driven in 11 runs 10 starts in 2022. All three of the Oregon State pitchers have won at least two games this season. Tarnie Stepto is 3-0 in four starts. Mariah Mazon has struck out 45 in 34 innings and is 2-3. Sarah Haenidges is 2-0 with one save.

This will be the 34th time that CSUN and Oregon State are playing with the Matadors leading the all-time series 20-12-1. FloSports.com will provide coverage of the tournament for a fee on their website. The links are on GoMatadors.com.

The Matadors went 3-2 at the San Diego State Campbell/Cartier Classic last week. CSUN defeated San Diego State and Southern Utah (twice). The Matadors fell to Army West Point and California Baptist.

Due to her performances during the tournament, Alexis Martinez was selected Big West Conference Softball Freshman of the Week on Feb. 21. Martinez struck out 12 Southern Utah batters as the Matadors shut out the Thunderbirds 4-0 in the Feb. 18 opener. Martinez's strikeout total is the most by strikeouts in a game by a CSUN pitcher since Mar. 7, 2019, when Jillian James struck out 12 CSU Bakersfield batters. She did not walk a batter as she tossed a three-hitter. Martinez needed 95 pitches (67 for strikes) to face only three above the minimum.

She was the losing pitcher when California Baptist defeated CSUN 4-2 in the first game on Feb. 19. She allowed three hits in five innings, striking out one and walking one. Martinez picked up the win during the Saturday 3-2 victory over Southern Utah. Martinez pitched the middle three innings of the game, striking out five while walking one. Martinez struck out 18 in 15 innings as opponents batted .182 against her during her three appearances.

Grad transfer Kennedi Sorensen put up an impressive weekend at the Campbell/Cartier Classic. Sorensen hit .462 with half of her six hits turning out to be home runs. Sorensen drove in six runs and scored three times. She recorded a 1.308 slugging and a .588 on-base percentage during the tournament.

~#UniteTheValley~

CSUN Softball Enters Mary Nutter Classic This Week

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jillian James

Alexis Martinez

Kennedi Sorensen