Softball Looks to Continue Winning Ways Against Cal, UC Santa Barbara

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN softball team (11-25, 7-11 Big West) is looking to add on to its winning streak when it hosts the California Golden Bears (13-30, 3-15 ACC) on Thursday before heading to Santa Barbara to take on the UCSB Gauchos (23-20, 13-5 Big West) Saturday-Sunday. First pitch against Cal is set for 2:00 p.m. at Matador Diamond. CSUN will play a doubleheader against the Gauchos on Saturday with first pitch of game one set for 1:00 p.m. at Campus Diamond. The series will conclude on Sunday with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. as well.

FOR STARTERS
CSUN is currently tied for sixth place in the Big West, which is the last seed in the Big West Championship tournament. The Matadors' Big West record is 7-11, as CSUN has series wins against UC Davis, UC Riverside, and Cal Poly, and series defeats against Cal State Bakersfield, Hawai'i and Cal State Fullerton. After the series against UCSB, CSUN has a date with the other team that is tied for sixth, UC San Diego at Matador Diamond, April 24-25.

LAST TIME OUT
After falling in the opener 4-3, the Matadors won both games of a doubleheader on Monday to claim a series win over UC Davis. In game one, CSUN won 8-6 and followed with a 7-1 rout in game two. Raegan Jackson had four RBIs over the two games. Ta'Tiannah Wright had two RBIs in game one. Mackenzie Kila had two RBIs in game two. Malia Williams pitched a complete game in game two.

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. This past weekend at UC Davis, Jackson slugged two home runs over the left field wall which came in pivotal moments against the Aggies. She also made a couple of diving defensive plays that kept the Aggie outbursts at bay. She has 33 hits in 35 games played. She leads the team in doubles with six, and leads the team in RBIs with 17. She is also 12-12 on stolen base attempts.

HELP, THERE IS A KILA ON THE LOOSE
2026 is proving to be a redemption year for senior Mackenize Kila. After not playing in any games in 2025, Kila has been a spark for this year's Matador squad. The Hawai'i native's contributions first got put on full display against her hometown team in the Rainbow Wahine. Her two RBIs against Hawai'i earned her a spot in the lineup. Here are coach Jodie Cox's comments on Kila during that series: "I just want to say that Kila earned that opportunity, it wasn't just given to her. As a staff, we needed a spark. She earned that opportunity and she seized the moment, that's just who Kila is." Since Hawai'i, Kila has had multiple two-RBI games and in the last series against UC Davis, she had a career high three hits in the first game of the series. She has 17 hits on the season.

ONE-TWO PUNCH IN THE CIRCLE
Malia Williams and Kaitlyn Tso have logged the majority of innings in the circle this season for the Matadors. Tso has pitched 96.2 and Williams has pitched 89.2 innings out of the total 228 innings played. Tso is leading the team in ERA at a 4.85 clip. Williams has a 5.07 ERA in 20 games started. This past series was a breakout series for Williams. She earned her fifth win of the season in a complete game performance against the Aggies. She only gave up one earned run in the rubber match win. Williams also leads the team with 33 strikeouts on the season.

SCOUTING CALIFORNIA
The Golden Bears are under the guide of first year head coach Steve Singleton. It has been a tough season, as Cal is 3-15 on the season in ACC play. The Bears do have wins over fellow Big West opponents in UCSB and UCSD. Five freshmen are on this year's roster along with eight returners and 10 transfers, including seven from Power 4 programs.

Offensively, five players on Cal have at least five home runs, paced by Carly Raven at eight. Anaya Togia leads the team in average at .356 and hits at 36. Maddie Rey is second with a .330 average and 34 hits on the team. The Golden Bears have hit 39 home runs on the season.

In the circle, it has been an uphill battle for Cal. As a team, the Bears have a 6.67 team ERA and have given up 254 earned runs. They also have given up 150 bases on balls.

Series History: Cal leads the series history, 15-8. The Golden Bears have won the last eight contests, with the last matchup coming in 2018.

SCOUTING UC SANTA BARBARA
The Gauchos enter this weekend's matchup with a 23-20 record and 13-5 record in Big West play, good enough for second in the conference. They are second in batting average in the Big West with a .332 clip while the Gauchos have the most hits in the conference at 394 on the season and are second in the league in home runs at 35. UCSB also has the most total bases at 581.

UCSB's Dani Rauscher is batting a team-best .421 on the season, which is good for second in the Big West. Her teammate Giselle Mejia is fifth with a .404 average. The team has two players in the top five of the Big West in home runs in Delaina Ma'ae and Bella Fuentes as each have eight on the season.

In the circle, UCSB has a 4.21 ERA overall led by Sophia Clark who has a 2.96 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP. The Gauchos' Malaya Johnson, who was named 2025 Big West Pitcher of the Year, sports a 3.73 ERA with 56 strikeouts, which leads the team.

Series History: CSUN is 39-29 all-time against UCSB. In 2025, CSUN won the season series, but dropped two straight in Big West Championship final.

Softball Looks to Continue Winning Ways Against Cal, UC Santa Barbara

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Players Mentioned

Raegan Jackson

Mackenzie Kila

Kaitlyn Tso

Malia Williams

Ta'Tiannah Wright

California State University Northridge Athletics