California State University at Northridge
22-24, 6-16
UC San Diego
16-30, 9-12
Matadors Sweep the Doubleheader Against the Tritons to Take the Series
5/3/2024 6:14:00 PM | Softball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.— CSUN softball dominated UC San Diego, sweeping a Friday doubleheader at Matador Field. The Matadors took the first game with a final score of 7-0. They continued their momentum into the second game as CSUN claimed the series with a 10-2 win in six innings. Mikayla Carman led the Matadors with a combined three runs, four hits, and two RBIs for the day.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One
The game opened with a pitching duel as Lauryn Carranco and India Cladwell didn't allow any runners to score early on. The Matadors were the first to make it on the board in the bottom of the second inning as Jadyn Nielsen made it home off a Triton throwing error by the third baseman. The Tritons tried to respond in the top of the third with a single, but the Matadors shut them down. Carranco kept the UC San Diego bats silent as she struck out two batters in the top of the fourth and one more in the fifth. The Matadors couldn't keep quiet though, as Carys Murakami hit a sacrifice bunt to bring in Kaylee Escutia in the bottom of the fifth for a 2-0 lead.
The Matadors cracked open the game in the sixth inning with five runs coming in. Jerzie Liana started the rally with a single into right field to bring in Carman. Mia Cortez followed by making it home on a fielder's choice. Vinessa Nunez kept the ball rolling with a single into right field to bring in Makenzie San Pedro and Liana. Shaylan Whatman closed the rally with a double to bring in Nunez and raise CSUN to a 7-0 lead. The Tritons attempted a rally of their own as they hit two singles in the seventh, but the Matadors shut them down to take the win.
Game Two
The Matadors returned reinvigorated as they came out with their bats sounding off. Whatman made it to base first with a single. Lulu Sanchez followed with her own single to get two runners on base in the bottom of the first inning. Kylie Galindo grounded out to shortstop as Whatman made it home. Sanchez brought in the second run off another error by the Tritons for a 2-0 lead. The Tritons attempted to answer with a triple sent into right field, but Isabella Alonso left the runner stranded in the second. The Matadors continued their momentum in the third inning as Carman made it home on a throwing error by UC San Diego. Cortez carried the Matadors to a 4-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to bring in Kylie Galindo.
The Tritons struck back in the top of the fourth inning with a single into center field and another into right to cut the deficit in half at 4-2. Alonso kept her cool and didn't allow another run as she struck out the batter to shut down the Triton rally. The Matadors added to their lead again in the fourth as Murakami hit a sacrifice fly into center field to bring Escutia home. Carman followed with a double to raise CSUN to 7-2 as Sanchez and Whatman scored. The Matadors continued to strike in the fifth inning as Escutia hit a double down the right field line to bring in Kennedy Gustin. The Tritons tried to answer, but Alonso retired all three batters in the top of the sixth. Maddie Padilla then claimed the game at 10-2 for the Matadors as she singled into center field to bring in Gustin and Carman.
NOTES OF THE GAME
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CSUN's overall record rises to 23-24 and conference record improves to 7-16. UC San Diego's overall record levels to 16-31 and 9-13.
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Lauryn Carranco pitched a 7.0 inning-shutout. She tallied nine strikeouts and allowed five hits with no runs.
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Isabella Alonso pitched a complete game with 6.0 innings. She got three strikeouts and allowed six hits with two runs.
ACCORDING TO ASSOCIATE COACH CHELSEA JOHNSON
"Just an overall good day. I'm really proud of this team, they showed up to play. Everyone off the bench, the whole lineup, we showed up. They did a really good job of capitalizing on mistakes and did a great job on hits and pitching."
UP NEXT
The Matadors wrap up the series against the Tritons on Saturday, May 4, at 1 p.m. CSUN will be celebrating senior Shaylan Whatman as they face UC San Diego. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carranco, Lauryn (11-11)
L: Caldwell, India (13-12)
Base Running:
SB: Eng, Morgan 1
Batting:
2B: Whatman, Shaylan 1 ; Cortez, Mia 1
RBI: Whatman, Shaylan 1 ; Liana, Jerzie 1 ; San Pedro, Mackenzie 1 ; Nunez, Vinessa 2 ; Murakami, Carys 1
SH: Chavez, Alexis 2 ; Landeros, Alexa 1 ; Murakami, Carys 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carman, Mikayla 1 ; Cortez, Mia 1 ; Nielsen, Jadyn 1 ; Liana, Jerzie 1 ; San Pedro, Mackenzie 1 ; Escutia, Kaylee 1 ; Nunez, Vinessa 1
