Sunday, February 16
Northridge, Calif.
11:00 a.m.
California State University at Northridge
2-6
5
vs
2
Seattle U
5-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Seattle U
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
3
0
CSUN
0
5
0
0
0
0
X
5
5
0
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Splits Doubleheader in Final Day of Matador Classic
2/16/2025 8:14:00 PM | Softball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif -- CSUN Softball split a doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Matador Diamond. In game one, CSUN defeated Seattle University 5-2. In game two, CSUN fell to the Pacific Tigers, 12-10 in extra innings.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
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Game 1 vs Seattle U
The Redhawks got the scoring started in the top of the first when Taylor Fitch hit a home run to left center to make it a 1-0 ballgame. Seattle U added to its lead in the second inning with another blast, this time to left field by catcher Karen Spadafor to make it 2-0.
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However, in the bottom of the second, CSUN's bats caught fire. After a ground out to the shortstop to begin the inning, Alexa Landeros walked. The next batter, Kaylee Escutia, was hit by a pitch before Mackenzie San Pedro walked to load the bases. Two batters later, Mikayla Carman singled through the left side, tying the game at two a piece with a two RBI single. The next batter, Alexis Chavez, singled up the middle to bring the leading run home to make it 3-2 on the scoreboard.
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After Chavez, Jerzie Liana found herself in a promising situation with runners on base. Liana promptly singled to center field to bring Carman home giving CSUN a 4-2 lead.
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Tiara Westbrook got hit by a pitch to load the bases yet again. Gizella Vargas Sandoval walked with the bases full of Matadors to bring home CSUN's fifth run of the inning.Â
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In the top of the third, Carranco retired the side in order including back-to-back strikeouts to finish the inning. Carranco repeated herself in the fourth inning, retiring the side in order again. The junior from Clovis retired the Redhawks in order in the fifth and would only allow one hit the rest of the way.
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After a big second inning for both squads, the game turned into a pitchers duel. Carrying a lead into the seventh, Carranco retired the side in order yet again, posting a complete game in the process, striking out six in the process while only allowing one hit.
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Game 2 vs Pacific
Pacific got the scoring started in the top of the first, leading off the contest with a single to center to score the first run of the game. The Tigers followed with another single to the left side to make it 2-0 in the early going.Â
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In the second inning, CSUN got one back as Landeros reached on a throwing error with Vargas Sandoval on base. The junior from Arleta ended up scoring on the play, cutting the Tiger lead in half at 2-1 through two innings.
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In the third inning, Vargas Sandoval found herself up at the plate with the bases loaded. She reached on an error by the third baseman as Reagan Jackson scored the tying run.
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In the fourth inning, CSUN extended its lead to 6-2, as Larissa Flores singled up the middle to get the rally started. Jackson and Carman both were both hit by pitches to load the bases with one out. Mackenzie Padilla then singled to right field scoring Flores to give the Matadors a 3-2 lead.
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The next batter, Liana, grounded to shortstop for out number two, but her groundball scored the runner from third, giving the Matadors a 4-2 advantage. With CSUN was down to its last out in the inning, Westbrook singled up the middle and two more runs scored.Â
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Just when the Matadors were settling into their lead, the Tigers struck back. Pacific started the fifth with three consecutive singles. Emma Dazell came up with the bases full of Tigers and walked to give Pacific its third run. Jayleen Scot then singled to left field as each runner moved station-to-station, scoring the fourth run in the process. Two more Tigers scored on sacrifice fly balls to tie the score at six through four and a half innings.
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In the sixth inning, Pacific continued the attack on offense. Three singles, two doubles and an error put four more Tiger runs on the board as Pacific led 10-6 going to the bottom of the sixth.
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CSUN was not done fighting despite the deficit. Carman and Chavez walked to begin the inning. After two flyouts, Vargas Sandoval doubled home both runners cutting the deficit in half.Â
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After Pacific went down in the top of the seventh, CSUN had three outs to work with. After Flores walked to begin things, Mia Cortez then came up and had one of the biggest at-bats of the season, blasting her first Matador home run of the season over the left field wall to tie the game at 10-10.Â
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In extra innings, Pacific added two more in the top of the eighth before CSUN went down in order to end the game.
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NEWS AND NOTES
"I thought the first game we came out and had a great pitching performance by Carranco. The hitting was timely in game one and we played a complete game to start the day. In game two, we had plenty of at bats against Pacific all weekend so both teams knew each other. It was a grind and it was anyone's game. It's not going to be easy, its going to be hard, but there was a fight in this team that was good to see."
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UP NEXT
CSUN will hit the road for its second tournament of the season, this time the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif. The Matadors open the tournament against Oregon State and BYU on Thursday.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
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Game 1 vs Seattle U
The Redhawks got the scoring started in the top of the first when Taylor Fitch hit a home run to left center to make it a 1-0 ballgame. Seattle U added to its lead in the second inning with another blast, this time to left field by catcher Karen Spadafor to make it 2-0.
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However, in the bottom of the second, CSUN's bats caught fire. After a ground out to the shortstop to begin the inning, Alexa Landeros walked. The next batter, Kaylee Escutia, was hit by a pitch before Mackenzie San Pedro walked to load the bases. Two batters later, Mikayla Carman singled through the left side, tying the game at two a piece with a two RBI single. The next batter, Alexis Chavez, singled up the middle to bring the leading run home to make it 3-2 on the scoreboard.
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After Chavez, Jerzie Liana found herself in a promising situation with runners on base. Liana promptly singled to center field to bring Carman home giving CSUN a 4-2 lead.
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Tiara Westbrook got hit by a pitch to load the bases yet again. Gizella Vargas Sandoval walked with the bases full of Matadors to bring home CSUN's fifth run of the inning.Â
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In the top of the third, Carranco retired the side in order including back-to-back strikeouts to finish the inning. Carranco repeated herself in the fourth inning, retiring the side in order again. The junior from Clovis retired the Redhawks in order in the fifth and would only allow one hit the rest of the way.
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After a big second inning for both squads, the game turned into a pitchers duel. Carrying a lead into the seventh, Carranco retired the side in order yet again, posting a complete game in the process, striking out six in the process while only allowing one hit.
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Game 2 vs Pacific
Pacific got the scoring started in the top of the first, leading off the contest with a single to center to score the first run of the game. The Tigers followed with another single to the left side to make it 2-0 in the early going.Â
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In the second inning, CSUN got one back as Landeros reached on a throwing error with Vargas Sandoval on base. The junior from Arleta ended up scoring on the play, cutting the Tiger lead in half at 2-1 through two innings.
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In the third inning, Vargas Sandoval found herself up at the plate with the bases loaded. She reached on an error by the third baseman as Reagan Jackson scored the tying run.
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ÂThe freshman comes up clutch.
— CSUN Softball (@CSUNSoftball) February 16, 2025
Makenzi Padilla gives CSUN the lead with this RBI single!#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/ydzCIUJ0zu
In the fourth inning, CSUN extended its lead to 6-2, as Larissa Flores singled up the middle to get the rally started. Jackson and Carman both were both hit by pitches to load the bases with one out. Mackenzie Padilla then singled to right field scoring Flores to give the Matadors a 3-2 lead.
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The next batter, Liana, grounded to shortstop for out number two, but her groundball scored the runner from third, giving the Matadors a 4-2 advantage. With CSUN was down to its last out in the inning, Westbrook singled up the middle and two more runs scored.Â
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Just when the Matadors were settling into their lead, the Tigers struck back. Pacific started the fifth with three consecutive singles. Emma Dazell came up with the bases full of Tigers and walked to give Pacific its third run. Jayleen Scot then singled to left field as each runner moved station-to-station, scoring the fourth run in the process. Two more Tigers scored on sacrifice fly balls to tie the score at six through four and a half innings.
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In the sixth inning, Pacific continued the attack on offense. Three singles, two doubles and an error put four more Tiger runs on the board as Pacific led 10-6 going to the bottom of the sixth.
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CSUN was not done fighting despite the deficit. Carman and Chavez walked to begin the inning. After two flyouts, Vargas Sandoval doubled home both runners cutting the deficit in half.Â
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After Pacific went down in the top of the seventh, CSUN had three outs to work with. After Flores walked to begin things, Mia Cortez then came up and had one of the biggest at-bats of the season, blasting her first Matador home run of the season over the left field wall to tie the game at 10-10.Â
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ÂMIA'S MOMENT!
— CSUN Softball (@CSUNSoftball) February 17, 2025
Cortez launches the game-tying 2-run home run in the bottom of the 7th.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/XqiBVGcqDf
In extra innings, Pacific added two more in the top of the eighth before CSUN went down in order to end the game.
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NEWS AND NOTES
- With the split, CSUN is now 2-7 on the season.
- Carranco pitched a complete game three-hitter, racking up six strikeouts in the process.
- Carman tallied three hits in the two games.
- Cortez hit the first home run of the season.
- Westbrook tallied four RBI's over the tournament.
"I thought the first game we came out and had a great pitching performance by Carranco. The hitting was timely in game one and we played a complete game to start the day. In game two, we had plenty of at bats against Pacific all weekend so both teams knew each other. It was a grind and it was anyone's game. It's not going to be easy, its going to be hard, but there was a fight in this team that was good to see."
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UP NEXT
CSUN will hit the road for its second tournament of the season, this time the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif. The Matadors open the tournament against Oregon State and BYU on Thursday.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carranco, Lauryn (2-2)
L: Vance, Berkley (1-1)
Batting:
HR: Fitch, Taylor 1 ; Spadafora, Karen 1
RBI: Fitch, Taylor 1 ; Spadafora, Karen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fitch, Taylor 1 ; Spadafora, Karen 1
Batting:
RBI: Carman, Mikayla 2 ; Chavez, Alexis 1 ; Liana, Jerzie 1 ; Vargas Sandoval, Gizella 1
SH: Chavez, Alexis 1 ; Vargas Sandoval, Gizella 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carman, Mikayla 1 ; Chavez, Alexis 1 ; Escutia, Kaylee 1 ; Ruiz, Jizzell 1 ; Flores, Larissa 1
HBP: Westbrook, Tiara 1 ; Landeros, Alexa 1 ; Escutia, Kaylee 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/UTIL
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballP/SS
/ Softball
C/UTIL
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball1B/OF
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