CSUN Splits Doubleheader in First Two Games of Series, Wins Game One in Walk-off Fashion

Saturday, March 21

Northridge, Calif

1:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

8-15, 4-3

Cal Poly

6-20, 0-7

Cal Poly

CSUN

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Splits Doubleheader in First Two Games of Series, Wins Game One in Walk-off Fashion

3/21/2026 8:35:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN softball team (8-16, 4-4 Big West) defeated the Cal Poly Mustangs via a walk-off single in game one, 6-5, while falling 3-2 in game two of the doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Matador Diamond. Maddie Padilla delivered the walk-off single in game one, and Kaitlyn Tso got the win while pitching all eight innings of a game that went into extras. Hiner added three RBIs in game one as well. Madison Okano had a solo home run in the game two defeat.

HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME ONE
After a scoreless inning and a half. CSUN got on the board first in the bottom of the second. Amber Rivas singled to right field with one out. The next batter, Savannah Simons, followed with a double to left field to drive in Rivas for a 1-0 lead.

Following the second inning, the Mustangs answered with a gut punch in the top half of the third. A fielding error, a single, and two doubles accounted for three runs for Cal Poly. The Mustangs would then add two more off of a single and another double. The frame would end in a 5-1 lead in favor of the road team.

The big lead would dwindle in the bottom half. CSUN struck back when Okano singled to begin the inning. Ta'Tiannah Wright then walked to put two runners on board. Raegan Jackson then got hit by a pitch to load the bases loaded for Isabella Hiner. Hiner singled to second base and two runners scored on the play to make it 5-3. The Matadors added one more when Amber Rivas singled up the middle, scoring Hiner and thus cutting the lead in half to 5-4.

In the bottom of the fifth, CSUN tied things up at five apiece. Vanessa Perez singled to kick off the inning. After Wright reached on a fielder's choice, Jackson singled to shortstop and Wright reached third on a fielding error by the first baseman. Hiner grounded out to the pitcher, but Wright scored on the play, evening the score in the process.

There would be no score until the game reached extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, Tso remained in the game and stranded two runners on base to give CSUN a chance to win it in the bottom half.

Rivas singled to third base to get a rally started. After Simons moved Rivas to second, Maddie Padilla pinch hit for her sister, Makenzie, to try and win the game, and win the game she did. A single up the middle brought Rivas around third and across home plate. It was a walk-off win for the Matadors at 6-5.

GAME TWO
Cal Poly opened the scoring early with a 2-0 lead in the first. The Mustangs got on the board playing station to station softball with four singles and a stolen base. Leilani Allen's single to right field accounted for the second run of the inning while Maddy Bermudez was responsible for the first run.

In the bottom of the third, CSUN got one back. Madison Okano hit her first home run in Northridge with a towering shot over the left field wall, a solo blast to make it 2-1.

The score would remain 2-1 for the next two innings.

In the bottom of the fifth, CSUN evened the score at two. Simons got hit by a pitch and eventually advanced to third base on two wild pitches. Madilyn Hernandez, who didn't start in game one, doubled to left center field, as Simons jogged home.

The Mustangs didn't waste any time taking the lead right back. Allen singled to third base to jumpstart the bats. A sacrifice bunt moved Allen to second while Mylina Garza singled to right field and the runner came around to score, making a 3-2 game in favor of Cal Poly.

Down to the final out in the seventh, Hernandez walked to try and get a rally going, but a popup off the bat of Isabella Valdez ended the game.

NOTES OF THE GAME

Tso lowered her ERA to 3.74 and improved her record to 4-7.
Okano hit her third home run of the year which leads the team.
Hernandez knocked in her fifth run of the year.
Maddie Padilla's walk-off single was the first walk-off of her career.
Hiner now leads the team with 13 RBIs on the season.
Rivas added three hits in game one.
Jackson had two hits in game one.

UP NEXT
The rubber match of the series is set to take place on Sunday from Matador Diamond at 1:00 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Cooper Hopkins on the call.