Saturday, April 15
Northridge, Calif.
12:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
17-19, 8-7
7
vs
5
UC Davis
24-13, 10-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
UC Davis
0
0
2
2
0
0
1
5
7
2
CSUN
4
1
0
0
0
2
X
7
13
4
Photo by: Connor Clark
Strong Start Sends CSUN Past UC Davis 7-5
4/15/2023 3:49:00 PM | Softball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—CSUN jumped to a 5-0 lead and turned away UC Davis 7-5 Saturday afternoon in the final game of their Big West softball series at Matador Diamond.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH CHARLOTTE MORGAN
Kennedy Gustin reached on an opposite-field single to left with one out in the bottom of the first. Mikayla Carman doubled on her first pitch from Kenedi Brown to the left center to score Gustin. Kaylee Escutia singled to right to advance Carman to third. An Anna Dethlefson throwing error from right field allowed Carman to score and move Escutia to third. Alexa Landeros recorded CSUN's fourth consecutive hit, a double to left to score Escutia. Kylie Galindo singled through the right side to plate Landeros for a five-run lead.
Brown was relieved by Sarah Reineman, who gave up a Carys Murakami infield single. Alexis Garcia grounded into a fielder's choice to Sommer Kisling at second, but pinch-runner Samantha Kwiatkowski reached third. Vinessa Nunez flew out to right to conclude the frame.
Shaylan Whatman led off the CSUN second with her fourth home run of the season, a blast that went off the top of the Matadors' scoreboard in left center.
Anna Dethlefson opened the third with a single to left. Leah Polson put down a successful bunt. Dethlefson used her speed to reach third base on the play. Libbie McMahan's suicide squeeze was successful, allowing Dethlefson to score. However, McMahan overran the base and was caught in a rundown. After being ruled out trying to reach second, she was awarded the base due to interference by the CSUN defense via a replay review.
Bella Pahulu flew out to right, but the ball was deep enough for McMahan to move up to third. Grace Kilday reached on an error, allowing Pahulu to score. Sarah Nakahara walked. Starks worked the count to 3-0 against Carranco before flying out to center to end the inning.
Galindo reached on an Aggies' error to lead off the third. Bella Mejia pinch-ran for Galindo and stole second. Murakami grounded out to second as Mejia reached third. With the UC Davis infield in, Garcia hit a grounder out to McMahan at short. She threw home for the second out. Garcia was caught in a rundown between first and second and was initially ruled out at second but was called safe after a replay review. Reineman struck out Nunez to end the inning.
Riley Wickum relieved Carranco to start the fourth. With one out, Wickum issued back-to-back four pitch walks to Kisling and Dethlefson. Allie Gardiner relieved Wickum. Her first batter was Polson, who grounded into a 4-6 fielder's choice to retire Dethlefson. Kisling took third to bring up McMahan. McMahan reached on a CSUN error which allowed Kisling to score. Pahulu also reached on a CSUN error, scoring the fourth Aggies' run. Kilday popped out to third to wrap up the inning.
Jordan Kaeka singled with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Murakami recorded her team-leading 28th walk of the season to give the Matadors runners on first and second. Gizella Vargas-Sandoval lined out to third. Pinch-hitter Macy Mohrlock singled to left. Nakahara came up throwing and appeared to have thrown out Kaeka at the plate for the third out. CSUN challenged the play. Upon further review by the umpires, the call was upheld, keeping the score 5-4.
Gardiner charted CSUN's lone 1-2-3 inning of the day in the top of the sixth. Sydney Freijanes led off the bottom of the sixth with an opposite-field single to right. Gustin's sac bunt attempt was successful, advancing Freijanes to second. Then, Carman tripled down the right field line to score Freijanes. With the Aggies infield in, Escutia popped out to center. With the count 1-0, Carman scored on a Reineman wild pitch to make it 7-4.
Landeros walked on four pitches. Mia Hildebrand relieved Reineman and walked Kaeka. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball. Murakami grounded to Reineman in the circle to send the game to the seventh.
With one out in the seventh, Kilday singled up the middle. Nakahara doubled to left center. With runners on second and third, Starks' infield single to second scored Kilday. Pinch-hitter Delaney Diaz hit a grounder to Nunez at third. She appeared to have tagged Nakahara and then threw on for an apparent double play. UC Davis challenged the call, but the ruling on the field stood, ending the game in favor of the Matadors.
10 CSUN players recorded at least one of the 13 hits. Carman went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored to pace the Matadors. Escutia was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Gardiner improved to 4-2 on the year, allowing four hits over the final 3.2 innings she pitched. Nakahara and Starks combined for four of the seven Aggies' (24-13, 10-5 Big West) hits (two each).
CSUN's victory broke a nine-game winning streak by the visiting team in the series that dated back to 2019.
UP NEXT
CSUN (17-19, 8-7 Big West) hosts the University of San Diego (16-23-1) in a doubleheader on Wednesday. The action on ESPN+ begins at 1 p.m.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH CHARLOTTE MORGAN
Coach Morgan's comments after today's win against UC Davis. pic.twitter.com/dBkDprbS9U
— CSUN Softball (@CSUNSoftball) April 15, 2023
Kennedy Gustin reached on an opposite-field single to left with one out in the bottom of the first. Mikayla Carman doubled on her first pitch from Kenedi Brown to the left center to score Gustin. Kaylee Escutia singled to right to advance Carman to third. An Anna Dethlefson throwing error from right field allowed Carman to score and move Escutia to third. Alexa Landeros recorded CSUN's fourth consecutive hit, a double to left to score Escutia. Kylie Galindo singled through the right side to plate Landeros for a five-run lead.
Brown was relieved by Sarah Reineman, who gave up a Carys Murakami infield single. Alexis Garcia grounded into a fielder's choice to Sommer Kisling at second, but pinch-runner Samantha Kwiatkowski reached third. Vinessa Nunez flew out to right to conclude the frame.
Shaylan Whatman led off the CSUN second with her fourth home run of the season, a blast that went off the top of the Matadors' scoreboard in left center.
Anna Dethlefson opened the third with a single to left. Leah Polson put down a successful bunt. Dethlefson used her speed to reach third base on the play. Libbie McMahan's suicide squeeze was successful, allowing Dethlefson to score. However, McMahan overran the base and was caught in a rundown. After being ruled out trying to reach second, she was awarded the base due to interference by the CSUN defense via a replay review.
Bella Pahulu flew out to right, but the ball was deep enough for McMahan to move up to third. Grace Kilday reached on an error, allowing Pahulu to score. Sarah Nakahara walked. Starks worked the count to 3-0 against Carranco before flying out to center to end the inning.
Galindo reached on an Aggies' error to lead off the third. Bella Mejia pinch-ran for Galindo and stole second. Murakami grounded out to second as Mejia reached third. With the UC Davis infield in, Garcia hit a grounder out to McMahan at short. She threw home for the second out. Garcia was caught in a rundown between first and second and was initially ruled out at second but was called safe after a replay review. Reineman struck out Nunez to end the inning.
Riley Wickum relieved Carranco to start the fourth. With one out, Wickum issued back-to-back four pitch walks to Kisling and Dethlefson. Allie Gardiner relieved Wickum. Her first batter was Polson, who grounded into a 4-6 fielder's choice to retire Dethlefson. Kisling took third to bring up McMahan. McMahan reached on a CSUN error which allowed Kisling to score. Pahulu also reached on a CSUN error, scoring the fourth Aggies' run. Kilday popped out to third to wrap up the inning.
Jordan Kaeka singled with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Murakami recorded her team-leading 28th walk of the season to give the Matadors runners on first and second. Gizella Vargas-Sandoval lined out to third. Pinch-hitter Macy Mohrlock singled to left. Nakahara came up throwing and appeared to have thrown out Kaeka at the plate for the third out. CSUN challenged the play. Upon further review by the umpires, the call was upheld, keeping the score 5-4.
Gardiner charted CSUN's lone 1-2-3 inning of the day in the top of the sixth. Sydney Freijanes led off the bottom of the sixth with an opposite-field single to right. Gustin's sac bunt attempt was successful, advancing Freijanes to second. Then, Carman tripled down the right field line to score Freijanes. With the Aggies infield in, Escutia popped out to center. With the count 1-0, Carman scored on a Reineman wild pitch to make it 7-4.
Landeros walked on four pitches. Mia Hildebrand relieved Reineman and walked Kaeka. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball. Murakami grounded to Reineman in the circle to send the game to the seventh.
With one out in the seventh, Kilday singled up the middle. Nakahara doubled to left center. With runners on second and third, Starks' infield single to second scored Kilday. Pinch-hitter Delaney Diaz hit a grounder to Nunez at third. She appeared to have tagged Nakahara and then threw on for an apparent double play. UC Davis challenged the call, but the ruling on the field stood, ending the game in favor of the Matadors.
10 CSUN players recorded at least one of the 13 hits. Carman went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored to pace the Matadors. Escutia was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Gardiner improved to 4-2 on the year, allowing four hits over the final 3.2 innings she pitched. Nakahara and Starks combined for four of the seven Aggies' (24-13, 10-5 Big West) hits (two each).
CSUN's victory broke a nine-game winning streak by the visiting team in the series that dated back to 2019.
UP NEXT
CSUN (17-19, 8-7 Big West) hosts the University of San Diego (16-23-1) in a doubleheader on Wednesday. The action on ESPN+ begins at 1 p.m.
~#UniteTheValley~
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gardiner, Allie (4-2)
L: Kenedi Brown (12-6)
Batting:
2B: Sarah Nakahara 2 ; Sarah Starks 1
RBI: Libbie McMahan 1 ; Sarah Starks 1
SH: Leah Polson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Anna Dethlefson 1 ; Leah Polson 1 ; Libbie McMahan 1 ; Grace Kilday 1 ; Sommer Kisling 1
SB: Anna Dethlefson 1
Batting:
2B: Carman, Mikayla 1 ; Landeros, Alexa 1
3B: Carman, Mikayla 1
HR: Whatman, Shaylan 1
RBI: Whatman, Shaylan 1 ; Carman, Mikayla 2 ; Landeros, Alexa 1 ; Galindo, Kylie 1
SH: Gustin , Kennedy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Whatman, Shaylan 1 ; Freijanes, Sydney 1 ; Gustin , Kennedy 1 ; Carman, Mikayla 2 ; Escutia, Kaylee 1 ; Landeros, Alexa 1
SB: Mejia, Bella 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
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C
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INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
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C
/ Softball
OF
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OF
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C
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INF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
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P
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