The Cal State Northridge softball team (27-20, 7-11 Big West) dropped three games to Cal State Fullerton (26-19, 14-4) over the weekend at Anderson Family Field. The Matadors forgot to bring their bats to Orange County, only managing 13 hits and six runs in the three games.
Debbie Duran and Amanda Pitzenberger pitched complete games in the series, but, due to poor run support, they both picked up losses.
The Titan pitching staff dominated the CSUN bats. CSUF’s Ari Cervantes pitched a complete game in game one, and Krystal Heinle pitched back-to-back complete games in games two and three.
The Titans are still in contention for the Big West crown and are only one game behind the standings’ leader, Cal Poly. The Matadors fell to fifth with only three games to go in the regular season.
Game 1‘
The Matadors lost to the Titans 8-2 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon. CSUN had nine hits, but only managed to drive in two runs. Fullerton had six hits and was able to cash in eight scores.
‘ In the top of the second inning, Northridge got on the board first after Lauren Olivas hit a sac fly to center field.
‘ In the bottom of the third inning, the Titans scored all of their runs and knocked out pitcher Hannah Fraijo. Fullerton’s Torrie Anderson drove in two runs when she hit a single to left field. Later in the inning, K.C. Craddick hit a double to left field to bring another runner home for the Titans.
The Matadors had a tough time bringing runners home and left seven of them stranded. Jaclyn Rymer and Tracy Allen each had two hits for Northridge.
Fraijo was the losing pitcher and allowed five hits with three earned runs in 2.2 innings of work. Pitzenberger came in for relief and didn’t allow a run in 3.1 innings. Cervantes punched out six Matadors.
Game 2‘
The Matadors came up short in the Saturday doubleheader’s second game and lost 4-3. Duran and Fullerton’s Heinle both pitched stellar games, but Heinle got the victory. Heinle only allowed three hits. Duran pitched six innings and permitted 10 hits.
The Titans jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Lauren Lupinetti hit a two-run bomb and Sheila Holquin got an RBI double.
CSUN answered with a Micah Putman two-run homerun in the top of the fourth inning. Putman has a team-high 32 RBIs.
Fullerton added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth after Lupinetti hit an RBI double.
CSUN tried to rally back in the top of the seventh.‘ Allen hit her first homerun of the season and cut the lead to 4-3. However, the next two Northridge batters struck out and the game ended.
Game 3
The Matadors had a dreadful day at the plate on Sunday and were defeated 3-1 in t
he final game of the series. Heinle tossed a one-hitter in a complete game for Fulleton.
Pitzenbeger pitched a complete game for CSUN, but had little run support from her teammates.’ Pitzenberger allowed three earned runs with eight hits.
Fullerton did most of its damage in the bottom of the third inning when Trina Harrison hit a two-run homerun to put the Titans up 3-0.
In the top of the seventh, Putman recorded CSUN’s only hit of the game. Later in the inning, she came home on a pair of errors by the Titan infield.
‘
