The CSUN softball team continued their hot start in Big West conference play as they hosted Hawai’i for a doubleheader at Matador Diamond on Saturday, March 15.
After Friday’s game against the Rainbow Wahine was postponed due to rain, the Matadors didn’t let the delay disrupt their play, winning 4-1 in the first game and extending their win streak to six games.
Game one
CSUN coach Charlotte Morgan commended her team for coming out on top in game one of the doubleheader.
“I think what we’ve been trying to tell our whole team is ‘to be ready when your number’s called,’” Morgan said. “I give the offense a little bit of time and then I expect them to make their adjustments.”
Both teams started slow offensively, trading strikeouts and flyouts through the first three innings.
Hawai’i had a chance to score in their half of the fourth inning as they led off with two hits but they were left on base after a pop out and a strikeout saved the Matadors.
CSUN got on the board first in the bottom of the fourth when infielder Tiara Westbrook hit a double to center field and Jizzell Ruiz pinch ran. Ruiz advanced to third after a bunt from Jerzie Liana and took home on a sac fly.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Rainbow Wahine couldn’t answer, striking out twice and once at base.
CSUN added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, infielder Jadyn Nielsen hit a double to right field that scored two runs.
“I was proud of them for the things that we were able to do, proud of the performance and then being able to take game one is huge,” Morgan added.
Lauryn Carranco went the distance for the Matadors, ending her start with eight strikeouts and allowed four hits and a run.
“I think we all came out really hot wanting to win,” Carranco said. “We had a rain delay yesterday and we didn’t get to play. So I think that just made us more hungry to win and protect our house.”
The Rainbow Wahine was able to prevent a shut out at the top of seventh when they got a run to come across, but any hope of a comeback for Hawai’i was when Carranco got a strikeout to end the game.
“We all did a really good job at just focusing on what we needed to get done,” Carranco said. “Bunts to get them over, whatever we needed to do to win. Everybody did their job. That’s what we’ve been preaching the whole time, ‘do your job.’”
Morgan said facing a doubleheader, the team is well prepared to handle them.
“I think a lot of it is who can survive, right? Who can stay healthy,” Morgan said. “Since none of us played yesterday, I think both sides were pretty well rested. I think normally with a doubleheader, it’s ‘How do you manage the arms?’ ‘How do you manage the bodies?’”
Game two
In the second game, CSUN couldn’t mount a comeback as Hawai’i split the day with a 4-3 win over the Matadors.
Hawai’i struck first and put up four runs right out the gate and CSUN never recovered.
In the bottom of the second, CSUN responded with two runs after their senior leader, outfielder Mikayla Carman doubled to break the shutout.
CSUN added another run in the bottom of the fifth when infielder Alexa Landeros batted in Ruiz, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Hawai’i’s strong first inning.
The split puts CSUN at 11-13 on the season and gives them their first conference loss of the season, moving to 4-1 in conference.
The Matadors travel to Riverside to take on California Baptist in a mid-week game on March 18
