Saturday, May 6
La Jolla, Calif.
1:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
24-22, 15-8
4
at
2
UC San Diego
18-30, 8-15
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
CSUN
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
4
0
UC San Diego
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
2
9
0
Photo by: Connor Clark
Seventh Inning Rallies Power CSUN's Sweep of UCSD
5/6/2023 6:06:00 PM | Softball
LA JOLLA, Calif.—CSUN scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh in both ends of a Saturday doubleheader at UC San Diego to complete a Big West softball sweep of the Tritons Saturday afternoon at Triton Softball Field.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH CHARLOTTE MORGAN
GAME 1
Down to her last strike with two outs in the top of the seventh, Kaylee Escutia hit a grand slam home run to send the Matadors past the Tritons 4-2 in the opener.
Morgan Eng walked on four Isabella Alonso pitches to begin the bottom of the first. She advanced to second on a Marissa Hassis sacrifice bunt. Keila Bosinger walked. Bobbi Aguirre and Alonso battled during a 10-pitch at-bat, resulting in a 4-6 fielder's choice and runners on the corners. Sophia Real flew out to right to conclude the frame.
UC San Diego starter Kaia Simpson struck out five of the first nine Matadors she faced before issuing back-to-back walks to Shaylan Whatman and Carys Murakami with one out in the top of the third. Simpson retired Mikayla Carman (fly-out center) and Gizella Vargas Sandoval (grounder back to Simpson) to get out of the inning.
Bosinger singled to right with two outs in the bottom of the third. Alonso walked Aguirre and followed with a walk. Alexa Landeros made a running backhand catch in the left center gap on a Real shot to end the threat.
Richards singled for the second time with one out in the fourth. Mikaila Pancino's blooper to center was fielded by Landeros, who threw to second for the out. Hailey Mulligan walked to bring up Eng. Eng, usually a slapper from the lefthanded side of the batter's box, pulled the ball to right center for a base hit, scoring Mulligan. Eng stole her 34th base in 35 attempts in 2023 to give the Tritons two runners in scoring position. Hassis grounded out to Alonso in the circle to send the game to the fifth.
Simpson struck out the side in the fourth to raise her total to eight. Simpson carried the no-hitter into the fifth when with one out, Vinessa Nunez singled to left. Whatman singled to center, advancing pinch-runner Kennedy Gustin to second. Pinch-hitter Mia Cortez struck out. Carman grounded out to second for the final out.
Aguirre homered with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Simpson walked pinch-hitter Macy Mohrlock and Jordan Kaeka with two outs in the top of the sixth. Bosinger made a diving catch of a Sydney Freijanes liner in center for the third out and kept the score 2-0.
Whatman singled through the left side with one out in the top of the seventh. Murakami walked on four pitches to bring up Carman, who lined out to center. A pitch hit Vargas Sandoval to load the bases. Escutia swung and missed on Simpson's first pitch. The UCSD righty threw a drop ball for a called strike two before using a waste pitch outside to make it 1-2. Then, Escutia fouled off a breaking pitch from Simpson before taking the rise ball out to center for the lead.
Allie Gardiner relieved Alonso to start the bottom of the seventh. Bosinger singled up the middle with one out. Aguirre's infield single to short brought up Real. Real singled up the middle to load the bases. Reynoso hit a fly ball to center, where Landeros made the catch. However, pinch-runner Riley Erickson failed to tag up. Landeros threw behind the runner for a double play to end the game.
UC San Diego outhit the Matadors 9-4. Bosinger, Aguirre, and Richards each charted two hits for the Tritons. Whatman went 2-for-2 with two walks to lead the Matadors. Murakami walked twice to bring her Big West-leading total to 31 (the fifth most in a season by a CSUN player at the Division I level).
Alonso improved to 6-4 as she scattered six hits. Gardiner picked up her fourth save of the year, tying her with two others for the third most in a season by a Matadors' pitcher at the D-1 level.
GAME 2
In a game featuring four total hits, Carman's seventh-inning single proved enough as the Matadors defeated the Tritons 1-0.
After throwing 149 pitches over seven innings on Friday night, UCSD starter Jada Cecil retired the first 13 Matadors she faced on 56 pitches before hitting Escutia with one out in the top of the fifth. Escutia was thrown out attempting to steal with two outs.
Despite allowing the leadoff hitter to reach base in the first three innings (via a hit by pitch or walk), Lauryn Carranco took a no-hitter into the fifth. She retired seven in a row before issuing a one-out walk in the fifth to Alexa Demarse. Murakami stabbed Mulligan's grounder and threw to first for the second out as Demarse advanced to second. Then, with the CSUN infield in against Eng, the UCSD leadoff hitter Carranco induced a grounder to second for the final out.
Hassis broke up Carranco's no-hit attempt with a single through the right side to begin the bottom of the sixth. Bosinger successfully sacrificed Hassis to second with a bunt. Hassis moved to third on a Carranco wild pitch. With the infield in, Aguirre grounded out to short. Carranco struck out Real to keep the game scoreless.
After 232 pitches on the weekend, Williams relieved Cecil to begin the top of the seventh. Whatman broke up the no-hit bid with an infield single to third. Murakami's sac bunt pushed Whatman up a base. Down 1-2 in the count, Carman singled up the middle to drive in Whatman for the lead. Vargas Sandoval walked. Gustin ran for Vargas Sandoval as Escutia came to the plate. The Matadors' right fielder grounded into a 6-5 fielder's choice for the second out. Landeros was called out on batter'sbatter's interference with Reynoso's attempt to throw out Gustin's attempt to steal third.
Richards singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Carranco struck out Demarse to get the second out. Then, Carranco struck out pinch-hitter Hannah Allen to end the game.
Carranco tossed her fifth complete game of the year, striking out seven and walking two. Counting the two UCSD (18-31, 8-16 Big West) hits, she faced six above the minimum. CSUN scored six of its nine runs in the series in the seventh inning, with two coming in the eighth.
UP NEXT
Winners of six in a row, CSUN (25-22, 16-8 Big West) concludes the regular season next weekend when the Matadors host UC Santa Barbara (26-19, 13-11 Big West) May 12-13. ESPN+ will stream all three games with Darren Preston on the call.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH CHARLOTTE MORGAN
Coach Morgan's comments on the sweep of UCSD. pic.twitter.com/IO5H10clSr
— CSUN Softball (@CSUNSoftball) May 7, 2023
GAME 1
Down to her last strike with two outs in the top of the seventh, Kaylee Escutia hit a grand slam home run to send the Matadors past the Tritons 4-2 in the opener.
Morgan Eng walked on four Isabella Alonso pitches to begin the bottom of the first. She advanced to second on a Marissa Hassis sacrifice bunt. Keila Bosinger walked. Bobbi Aguirre and Alonso battled during a 10-pitch at-bat, resulting in a 4-6 fielder's choice and runners on the corners. Sophia Real flew out to right to conclude the frame.
UC San Diego starter Kaia Simpson struck out five of the first nine Matadors she faced before issuing back-to-back walks to Shaylan Whatman and Carys Murakami with one out in the top of the third. Simpson retired Mikayla Carman (fly-out center) and Gizella Vargas Sandoval (grounder back to Simpson) to get out of the inning.
Bosinger singled to right with two outs in the bottom of the third. Alonso walked Aguirre and followed with a walk. Alexa Landeros made a running backhand catch in the left center gap on a Real shot to end the threat.
Richards singled for the second time with one out in the fourth. Mikaila Pancino's blooper to center was fielded by Landeros, who threw to second for the out. Hailey Mulligan walked to bring up Eng. Eng, usually a slapper from the lefthanded side of the batter's box, pulled the ball to right center for a base hit, scoring Mulligan. Eng stole her 34th base in 35 attempts in 2023 to give the Tritons two runners in scoring position. Hassis grounded out to Alonso in the circle to send the game to the fifth.
Simpson struck out the side in the fourth to raise her total to eight. Simpson carried the no-hitter into the fifth when with one out, Vinessa Nunez singled to left. Whatman singled to center, advancing pinch-runner Kennedy Gustin to second. Pinch-hitter Mia Cortez struck out. Carman grounded out to second for the final out.
Aguirre homered with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Simpson walked pinch-hitter Macy Mohrlock and Jordan Kaeka with two outs in the top of the sixth. Bosinger made a diving catch of a Sydney Freijanes liner in center for the third out and kept the score 2-0.
Whatman singled through the left side with one out in the top of the seventh. Murakami walked on four pitches to bring up Carman, who lined out to center. A pitch hit Vargas Sandoval to load the bases. Escutia swung and missed on Simpson's first pitch. The UCSD righty threw a drop ball for a called strike two before using a waste pitch outside to make it 1-2. Then, Escutia fouled off a breaking pitch from Simpson before taking the rise ball out to center for the lead.
Allie Gardiner relieved Alonso to start the bottom of the seventh. Bosinger singled up the middle with one out. Aguirre's infield single to short brought up Real. Real singled up the middle to load the bases. Reynoso hit a fly ball to center, where Landeros made the catch. However, pinch-runner Riley Erickson failed to tag up. Landeros threw behind the runner for a double play to end the game.
UC San Diego outhit the Matadors 9-4. Bosinger, Aguirre, and Richards each charted two hits for the Tritons. Whatman went 2-for-2 with two walks to lead the Matadors. Murakami walked twice to bring her Big West-leading total to 31 (the fifth most in a season by a CSUN player at the Division I level).
Alonso improved to 6-4 as she scattered six hits. Gardiner picked up her fourth save of the year, tying her with two others for the third most in a season by a Matadors' pitcher at the D-1 level.
GAME 2
In a game featuring four total hits, Carman's seventh-inning single proved enough as the Matadors defeated the Tritons 1-0.
After throwing 149 pitches over seven innings on Friday night, UCSD starter Jada Cecil retired the first 13 Matadors she faced on 56 pitches before hitting Escutia with one out in the top of the fifth. Escutia was thrown out attempting to steal with two outs.
Despite allowing the leadoff hitter to reach base in the first three innings (via a hit by pitch or walk), Lauryn Carranco took a no-hitter into the fifth. She retired seven in a row before issuing a one-out walk in the fifth to Alexa Demarse. Murakami stabbed Mulligan's grounder and threw to first for the second out as Demarse advanced to second. Then, with the CSUN infield in against Eng, the UCSD leadoff hitter Carranco induced a grounder to second for the final out.
Hassis broke up Carranco's no-hit attempt with a single through the right side to begin the bottom of the sixth. Bosinger successfully sacrificed Hassis to second with a bunt. Hassis moved to third on a Carranco wild pitch. With the infield in, Aguirre grounded out to short. Carranco struck out Real to keep the game scoreless.
After 232 pitches on the weekend, Williams relieved Cecil to begin the top of the seventh. Whatman broke up the no-hit bid with an infield single to third. Murakami's sac bunt pushed Whatman up a base. Down 1-2 in the count, Carman singled up the middle to drive in Whatman for the lead. Vargas Sandoval walked. Gustin ran for Vargas Sandoval as Escutia came to the plate. The Matadors' right fielder grounded into a 6-5 fielder's choice for the second out. Landeros was called out on batter'sbatter's interference with Reynoso's attempt to throw out Gustin's attempt to steal third.
Richards singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Carranco struck out Demarse to get the second out. Then, Carranco struck out pinch-hitter Hannah Allen to end the game.
Carranco tossed her fifth complete game of the year, striking out seven and walking two. Counting the two UCSD (18-31, 8-16 Big West) hits, she faced six above the minimum. CSUN scored six of its nine runs in the series in the seventh inning, with two coming in the eighth.
UP NEXT
Winners of six in a row, CSUN (25-22, 16-8 Big West) concludes the regular season next weekend when the Matadors host UC Santa Barbara (26-19, 13-11 Big West) May 12-13. ESPN+ will stream all three games with Darren Preston on the call.
~#UniteTheValley~
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Alonso, Isabella (6-4)
L: Simpson, Kaia (2-6)
S: Gardiner, Allie (4)
Batting:
HR: Escutia, Kaylee 1
RBI: Escutia, Kaylee 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Whatman, Shaylan 1 ; Murakami, Carys 1 ; Mejia, Bella 1 ; Escutia, Kaylee 1
SB: Whatman, Shaylan 1
HBP: Vargas Sandoval, Gizella 1 ; Kaeka, Jordan 1
Batting:
HR: Aguirre, Bobbi 1
RBI: Eng, Morgan 1 ; Aguirre, Bobbi 1
SH: Hassis, Marissa 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Aguirre, Bobbi 1 ; Pancino, Mikaila 1
SB: Eng, Morgan 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
4
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
1
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballSoftball--CSUN vs. Hawai'i
Saturday, May 04
Softball-CSUN vs. UC Riverside
Saturday, April 13
Softball-CSUN vs. UCLA
Sunday, March 24
Softball-CSUN vs. Saint Mary's
Saturday, March 23