Photo by: Chuck Marvel
2024-25 CSUN Top Moments - Softball Advances to Big West Championship Saturday
7/28/2025 11:54:00 AM | Softball
From June 11 to August 11, GoMatadors.com will present the top CSUN Moments from the 2024-25 sports season. Today, we celebrate the Matador Softball team, which finished the season second in the Big West standings and advanced to the Big West Championship tournament final.
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It's Friday, May 9th at Anderson Family Field in Fullerton, Calif. CSUN is taking on Hawai'i and the winner advances to the Big West Championship Final to take on UC Santa Barbara. CSUN, up 4-3, had just given up a home run in the seventh to make it a one-run game. With the Matadors just needing three more outs to win, Isabella Alonso came into the game to relieve Lauryn Carranco, who had been a workhorse all tournament long for CSUN.Â
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After surrendering a leadoff double, Alonso retired the next batter on a popout, however the game tying run was at second base. The next batter for the Rainbow Wahine was Millie Fidge, a batter known to do some damage in the box for UH. With the game on the line, Alonso threw a pitch that ended up being a line shot off the bat of Fidge, right into the glove of second baseman Larissa Flores. The ball was hit hard enough that the runner on second was half-way to third before it was caught. Flores then doubled off the runner with an underhanded toss to shortstop Jerzie Liana who was covering second base, ending the game on a double play and sending the Matadors to the Championship game. Â
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The CSUN players rushed the circle, jumping for joy as the Matadors won their second consecutive game in the tournament to get a chance to fight for the title.Â
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The Matador softball team worked hard all year, securing a second seed in the tournament with a 17-10 record in Big West play, good enough for second in the conference as they earned the No. 2 overall seed. Eleven seniors made up a majority of this group as the team only lost one Big West series all season.Â
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CSUN made it happen on both sides of the ball. In Big West play, CSUN was second in batting average all season with a .287 clip. The Matadors also ranked third in ERA on the year in the Big West with a 2.77 ERA.
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Batters like Tiara Westbrook and Mikayla Carman were focal points throughout the campaign. Westbrook finished the season with a team leading .351 batting average and 10 home runs on her way to an All-Big West First Team nomination. Carman was a staple in the Matadors lineup as well as she started all 52 games and was second on the club with an OPS at .852. Carman was named to the All-Big West Second Team.
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In the circle for the Matadors, CSUN was led by a one-two punch of Carranco and Alonso. Both pitchers logged 327 innings between them. Carranco was 16-12 with a 2.77 ERA, good enough for All-Big West First Team honors. Alonso was 10-12 with a 3.92 ERA, and was in the circle to save the game in the Big West Championship semifinals.
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Unfortunately, CSUN would fall to the Gauchos in both games of Championship Saturday, but the Matadors held their heads high. Overall the team finished with a record of 26-26, their best winning percentage since 2023. Head coach Charlotte Morgan ended her tenure with the Matadors with 109 career wins after the performance in the Big West Championship, placing her in the top five of CSUN Softball head coaches in wins all-time.
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It's Friday, May 9th at Anderson Family Field in Fullerton, Calif. CSUN is taking on Hawai'i and the winner advances to the Big West Championship Final to take on UC Santa Barbara. CSUN, up 4-3, had just given up a home run in the seventh to make it a one-run game. With the Matadors just needing three more outs to win, Isabella Alonso came into the game to relieve Lauryn Carranco, who had been a workhorse all tournament long for CSUN.Â
Â
After surrendering a leadoff double, Alonso retired the next batter on a popout, however the game tying run was at second base. The next batter for the Rainbow Wahine was Millie Fidge, a batter known to do some damage in the box for UH. With the game on the line, Alonso threw a pitch that ended up being a line shot off the bat of Fidge, right into the glove of second baseman Larissa Flores. The ball was hit hard enough that the runner on second was half-way to third before it was caught. Flores then doubled off the runner with an underhanded toss to shortstop Jerzie Liana who was covering second base, ending the game on a double play and sending the Matadors to the Championship game. Â
Â
The CSUN players rushed the circle, jumping for joy as the Matadors won their second consecutive game in the tournament to get a chance to fight for the title.Â
Â
The Matador softball team worked hard all year, securing a second seed in the tournament with a 17-10 record in Big West play, good enough for second in the conference as they earned the No. 2 overall seed. Eleven seniors made up a majority of this group as the team only lost one Big West series all season.Â
Â
CSUN made it happen on both sides of the ball. In Big West play, CSUN was second in batting average all season with a .287 clip. The Matadors also ranked third in ERA on the year in the Big West with a 2.77 ERA.
Â
Batters like Tiara Westbrook and Mikayla Carman were focal points throughout the campaign. Westbrook finished the season with a team leading .351 batting average and 10 home runs on her way to an All-Big West First Team nomination. Carman was a staple in the Matadors lineup as well as she started all 52 games and was second on the club with an OPS at .852. Carman was named to the All-Big West Second Team.
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In the circle for the Matadors, CSUN was led by a one-two punch of Carranco and Alonso. Both pitchers logged 327 innings between them. Carranco was 16-12 with a 2.77 ERA, good enough for All-Big West First Team honors. Alonso was 10-12 with a 3.92 ERA, and was in the circle to save the game in the Big West Championship semifinals.
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Unfortunately, CSUN would fall to the Gauchos in both games of Championship Saturday, but the Matadors held their heads high. Overall the team finished with a record of 26-26, their best winning percentage since 2023. Head coach Charlotte Morgan ended her tenure with the Matadors with 109 career wins after the performance in the Big West Championship, placing her in the top five of CSUN Softball head coaches in wins all-time.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
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/ Softball
C/UTIL
/ Softball
P/SS
/ Softball
1B/OF
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