Matadors Host Mustangs for Three-Game Series

GAME NOTES
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN softball team (7-15, 3-3 Big West) is gearing up to play the Cal Poly Mustangs (6-19, 0-6 Big West) Saturday-Sunday for a three-game series at Matador Diamond. CSUN will play a doubleheader on Saturday with game times at 1:00, and 3:00 p.m. before playing a single game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. All games will be streamed live on ESPN+.

ABOUT LAST WEEK
CSUN dropped the first two games of a three-game series on the road at Cal State Bakersfield on March 13-14. The Matadors would then go on to win game three, 8-5 to end the set on a high note.

CSUN's two losses in the series were decided by only one run, the Matadors falling on a walk-off home run in game one.

In the game three win, Raegan Jackson led the way with three RBIs. Catcher Makenzi Padilla had two RBIs while both Amber Rivas and Ta'Tiannah Wright drove in a run as well. Freshman Kaitlyn Tso pitched a complete game, earning the victory while striking out one and allowing three runs.

RAEGAN TAKING ON HER ROLE AS THE LEADER
Raegan Jackson is one of the longest tenured Matadors on the team. She is a certified leader with her presence but also her play as well. After being named a 2025 All-Big West Honorable Mention, she has not lost a beat in her senior season in 2026. Jackson has hits in 18 out of the 22 games played so far and is currently fifth in the Big West in batting average at .400. She has 10 stolen bases in 10 chances including stealing three bags against Portland State on February 8, which was a career high.

HINER IS OFF TO A ROARING START
Isabella Hiner is off to a fast start in her collegiate career. The freshman is currently eighth in the Big West in batting average with a .395 clip. She had two multi-RBI games in two wins in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, as well as another multi-RBI game in the Reggie Smith Invitational. She has only struck out three times in 39 at-bats and has hit safely in nine out of the last 10 games she has played. Hiner also had runs batted in during two out of three games in the last series versus Bakersfield. On defense, she has been nearly perfect, only committing one error on the season.

TSO MIGHT BE THE ANCHOR IN THE CIRCLE
Freshman Kaitlyn Tso is showing why her number might be called the most by the Matadors' pitching coaches this season. Tso currently has appeared in 16 games, starting nine, and thrown four complete games with three saves. She struck out a season-high five batters against Saint Mary's on February 13, and has struck out 27 batters total on the season to lead the team.

SCOUTING CAL POLY
The Mustangs have gotten off to a slow start to kickoff the 2026 season. They are currently 6-19 and have yet to win a Big West game this year. The Mustangs will be looking for revenge as they were swept by the Matadors in a three-game series in San Luis Obispo in 2025.

There is a youth movement taking place with this squad. Three of Cal Poly's top four hitters entering this series are freshmen with first baseman Myleigh Cooper (.357) topping the lineup while third baseman Leilani Allen (.288) is third followed by shortstop Madi Bohannon (.273).

Cooper, one of two Mustangs to start all 25 games, leads Cal Poly with 25 hits, eight multi-hit games, 10 RBI and four doubles.

Cal Poly is looking to bounce back from its three game series with UC Santa Barbara last weekend, where it only scored three runs in the entire set.

Series History: CSUN leads the all-time series, 92-62-1. Cal Poly's last series win was in 2024.

Matadors Host Mustangs for Three-Game Series

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Players Mentioned

Isabella Hiner

Raegan Jackson

Makenzi Padilla

Amber Rivas

Kaitlyn Tso

Ta'Tiannah Wright

California State University Northridge Athletics