Saturday, April 1
Northridge, Calif.
1:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
13-15, 5-3
3
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6
Long Beach State
17-15, 7-1
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Long Beach State
5
0
0
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6
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CSUN
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1
0
0
0
3
6
4
Photo by: Connor Clark
CSUN Wins 1500th Game as Matadors Take First Series Vs. LBSU Since 2015
4/1/2023 7:54:00 PM | Softball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—CSUN became the 13th NCAA Division I softball team to win at least 1,500 games as the Matadors split a Big West doubleheader against Long Beach State Saturday afternoon at Matador Diamond. The Matadors are 1,500-974-12 since the program began in 1977.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH CHARLOTTE MORGAN
GAME 1
Long Beach State took advantage of four CSUN errors as the Beach defeated the Matadors 6-3 to open the day.
CSUN committed two errors in the top of the first to score five runs. Cam Cecil's double drove in two runs to highlight the rally.
The Matadors got on the board in the bottom of the second when Maddie Padilla's fielder's choice to third scored Shaylan Whatman. CSUN loaded the bases with two outs later in the inning. Beach starter Eryka Gonzales walked Mikayla Carman for the second Matadors' run. Samantha Fowler relieved Gonzales to face Kaylee Escutia. Escutia grounded into a 6-5 fielder's choice for the final out of the inning.
A two-out Maiya Alemania single in the bottom of the fourth scored Carys Murakami and cut the Beach lead to 5-3. The third CSUN error of the game led to an unearned run with two outs in the top of the fifth.
The Matadors brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the sixth with two outs. However, Alemania grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice to bring the inning to a close. Whatman singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh but couldn't advance as the Beach won.
Both teams recorded six hits. Rebekah Durazo was 2-for-3 to lead Long Beach State. Carman and Whatman both charted two hits for the Matadors. Murakami walked three times in a game for the second time this season.
GAME 2
The Matadors defeated Long Beach State 7-1 in the nightcap for the 1500th victory.
Whatman moved to the leadoff spot and walked to begin the bottom of the first. Sophia Fernandez walked Carman. Alemania's grounder to third allowed both runners to move up a base. Escutia's sac fly to right allowed Whatman to score.
The Matadors' six-run rally in the bottom of the fourth broke the game open. The first three CSUN batters of the inning reached base. Shannon Haddad relieved Fernandez and gave up a Padilla single that scored Alemania. With the bases still loaded, Murakami walked for the 27th time, the 10th most in a season by a Matador, to record an RBI.
Haddad charted the next two outs before hitting Whatman to make it 4-0. Carman singled to right to drive in a pair of runs. Cam Cecil, the Long Beach State right fielder, committed an error that allowed Whatman to score to conclude the scoring spurt.
CSUN starter Lauryn Carranco retired eight in a row before giving up a pair of hits in the sixth. She worked her way out of the inning when she got Carly Robbins to fly out to right.
Long Beach State threatened again in the seventh. The Beach loaded the bases with two outs before scoring their lone run on a passed ball. However, Sara Olson grounded out to short to end the game.
Carranco tossed a six-hitter, striking out three and walking three. She threw 115 pitches, 74 for strikes. Jacquelyn Bickar was 2-for-3 for LBSU. Five different Matadors recorded a hit.
The victory clinched CSUN's first series win against Long Beach State since 2015, when the Matadors won their last Big West championship. The Beach, who won eight in a row coming into the weekend, are now 17-16, 7-2 in Big West games.
UP NEXT
CSUN (14-15, 6-3 Big West) added a game against LMU (13-15) to be played on Monday. The first pitch is for 1 p.m. at Matador Diamond. The Matadors resume Big West play Friday at Cal State Fullerton (19-14, 6-2 Big West) beginning at 6 p.m.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH CHARLOTTE MORGAN
Coach Morgan's comments after today's game against LBSU. pic.twitter.com/LmLfHoW1Em
— CSUN Softball (@CSUNSoftball) April 2, 2023
GAME 1
Long Beach State took advantage of four CSUN errors as the Beach defeated the Matadors 6-3 to open the day.
CSUN committed two errors in the top of the first to score five runs. Cam Cecil's double drove in two runs to highlight the rally.
The Matadors got on the board in the bottom of the second when Maddie Padilla's fielder's choice to third scored Shaylan Whatman. CSUN loaded the bases with two outs later in the inning. Beach starter Eryka Gonzales walked Mikayla Carman for the second Matadors' run. Samantha Fowler relieved Gonzales to face Kaylee Escutia. Escutia grounded into a 6-5 fielder's choice for the final out of the inning.
A two-out Maiya Alemania single in the bottom of the fourth scored Carys Murakami and cut the Beach lead to 5-3. The third CSUN error of the game led to an unearned run with two outs in the top of the fifth.
The Matadors brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the sixth with two outs. However, Alemania grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice to bring the inning to a close. Whatman singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh but couldn't advance as the Beach won.
Both teams recorded six hits. Rebekah Durazo was 2-for-3 to lead Long Beach State. Carman and Whatman both charted two hits for the Matadors. Murakami walked three times in a game for the second time this season.
GAME 2
The Matadors defeated Long Beach State 7-1 in the nightcap for the 1500th victory.
Whatman moved to the leadoff spot and walked to begin the bottom of the first. Sophia Fernandez walked Carman. Alemania's grounder to third allowed both runners to move up a base. Escutia's sac fly to right allowed Whatman to score.
The Matadors' six-run rally in the bottom of the fourth broke the game open. The first three CSUN batters of the inning reached base. Shannon Haddad relieved Fernandez and gave up a Padilla single that scored Alemania. With the bases still loaded, Murakami walked for the 27th time, the 10th most in a season by a Matador, to record an RBI.
Haddad charted the next two outs before hitting Whatman to make it 4-0. Carman singled to right to drive in a pair of runs. Cam Cecil, the Long Beach State right fielder, committed an error that allowed Whatman to score to conclude the scoring spurt.
CSUN starter Lauryn Carranco retired eight in a row before giving up a pair of hits in the sixth. She worked her way out of the inning when she got Carly Robbins to fly out to right.
Long Beach State threatened again in the seventh. The Beach loaded the bases with two outs before scoring their lone run on a passed ball. However, Sara Olson grounded out to short to end the game.
Carranco tossed a six-hitter, striking out three and walking three. She threw 115 pitches, 74 for strikes. Jacquelyn Bickar was 2-for-3 for LBSU. Five different Matadors recorded a hit.
The victory clinched CSUN's first series win against Long Beach State since 2015, when the Matadors won their last Big West championship. The Beach, who won eight in a row coming into the weekend, are now 17-16, 7-2 in Big West games.
UP NEXT
CSUN (14-15, 6-3 Big West) added a game against LMU (13-15) to be played on Monday. The first pitch is for 1 p.m. at Matador Diamond. The Matadors resume Big West play Friday at Cal State Fullerton (19-14, 6-2 Big West) beginning at 6 p.m.
~UniteTheValley~
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fowler, Samantha (2-2)
L: Martinez, Alexis (4-6)
Batting:
2B: Cecil, Cam 1
RBI: Medellin, Makayla 1 ; Cecil, Cam 2 ; Sweet, Corissa 1 ; Camou, Cassie 1
SF: Camou, Cassie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bickar, Jacquelyn 1 ; Olson, Sara 1 ; Medellin, Makayla 1 ; Salazar, Emily 2 ; Durazo, Rebekah 1
SB: Olson, Sara 2 ; Medellin, Makayla 1 ; Salazar, Emily 1
CS: Bickar, Jacquelyn 1
HBP: Martinez, Lilyanna 1
Batting:
RBI: Carman, Mikayla 1 ; Alemania, Maiya 1 ; Padilla , Maddie 1
SH: Kaeka, Jordan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Murakami, Carys 1 ; Whatman, Shaylan 1 ; Vargas Sandoval, Gizella 1
SB: Carman, Mikayla 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballINF
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