The CSUN softball team (2-7) entered the CSUN Matador Classic after losing three of its first four games. Looking to bounce back and gain momentum early in the season, the Matadors played five games against Pacific University (3-5) and Seattle University (5-5), with just one win over the weekend.
In their lone win of the weekend, the Matadors were fueled by a huge second inning where they scored five runs against SU to secure a 5-2 victory.
The Matadors’ start against the Redhawks was rocky. After two innings, they were down 2-0.
Redhawks infielder Taylor Fitch and catcher Karen Spadafora hit solo home runs to give SU the early lead.
Once the bottom half of the second inning began, the Matadors bats came alive. After a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch, the bases were loaded. Following a force out at home plate that made it two outs in the inning, the Matadors faced a common theme of not being able to get runners home.
The Matadors had left 30 runners on base combined in the first three games of the classic.
It was up to the top of the order to provide offense with two outs. Outfielder Mikayla Carman came up huge for the Matadors on a 1-0 count as she roped a single that brought in two runs to tie things up for CSUN.
CSUN’s Alexis Chavez was due next, and with a 1-1 count, the Matadors took the lead with a single up the middle from Chavez. Infielder Jerzie Liana had the best at-bat of the inning, fighting off multiple pitches in a full count to keep the offensive surge alive as she ripped a single to extend the lead to 4-2.
The final run of the inning came from the Matadors as a bases-loaded walk as Gizella Vargas Sandoval was able to work the count.
CSUN head coach Charlotte Morgan thought the team stuck to the offensive plan and focused on details, especially the second time through the order.
“I thought we did a good job sticking to our plan. We had really paid attention to our detail and work going into the game, and I thought they applied it. Overall, I thought their at-bats were really consistent with a couple of the adjustments we were working on,” said Morgan.
After the second inning concluded for both teams, there wasn’t much offensive action for either side outside of the top of the sixth inning, where the Redhawks put on two base runners but could not get any home. CSUN starting pitcher Lauryn Carranco was able to settle down and deal a clean game for the rest of the match.
Carranco retired 15 of 17 batters she faced after the second inning. She pitched a complete game, striking out six batters, allowing three hits and issuing just one walk.
Morgan spoke about how Carranco could settle in despite giving up the two early home runs.
“I think just executing her pitches a little sharper, getting her tunnels a little bit tighter, a little bit lower and making sure she is setting up her next pitches. I thought she did a good job of adjusting her tunnels and working off a pitch she pitched before, so I thought she did a good job of that as the game went along,” Morgan said.
That win snapped a three-game losing streak, but the Matadors had to turn and face Pacific again quickly.
The game resulted in an offensive shootout, and the Matadors lost their third game of the classic to the Tigers 12-10. One thing to note is that it was CSUN’s highest offensive output of the season.
Carman continued to shine in the leadoff spot for the Matadors. As the final game concluded, she raised her batting average to .345 (10-29), with a .905 OPS and an on-base percentage of .457.
Morgan discussed improvements that need to be made as the team heads into the Mary Nutter Classic this weekend.
“I think we got to be sharper on defense for one. We need to make the plays we need to. We need to be sharper all around. We have to have better at-bats when we are ahead when we have runners in scoring position,” said Morgan. “I thought we gave a couple of at-bats away in the last game. We just have to be sharper in everything, in our pitches, sharper on defense, and again just making sure we don’t give away any at-bats.”
CSUN takes on Oregon State on Thursday, Feb. 20, at Big League Dreams Sports Park in Cathedral City for their first of five games in the Mary Nutter Classic.
