CSUN Wins Softball Doubleheader

Cal State Northridge pitcher Heather Lindstrom established herself as a legitimate college softball talent against Sacramento State on Sunday.

Twice.

Lindstrom, a freshman from Crescenta Valley High, pitched all but two innings of a nonconference doubleheader, limiting Sacramento to seven hits in leading the Lady Matadors to 2-1 and 2-0 victories at CSUN.

It was the first time in Lindstrom’s short college career that she has made back-to-back starts on the same day.

“Our plan was to let her go three (innings in the second game). But she didn’t throw too many pitches in the beginning so she was fresh,” Northridge Coach Gary Torgeson said of Lindstrom. “We got a run so we said, ‘To heck with it. Let’s go for it.’ ”

Lindstrom, unmoved by the marathon outing, said she could have pitched at least five more innings.

“It really doesn’t bother me,” she said. “We pitch so much at practice.”

Northridge, the No. 1-ranked Division II school in the nation, improved to 43-13. Second-ranked Sacramento dropped to 36-14.

The first game lasted 11 innings and ended when Pam Smith’s long fly to right scored Erin McGuire from third. The game was decided under tiebreaker rules, which take effect in the 10th inning and allow the batting team to begin each inning with a runner on second base.

The Lady Matadors forced the game into extra innings in the fifth inning by tying the score, 1-1. Anna Getherall reached base on an error, advanced on a fielder’s choice and scored on Char Schmitt’s single.

Lindstrom (14-4), who was relieved by Debbie Dickmann in the 10th, struck out seven and scattered three hits.

Lisa Erickson gave CSUN a 1-0 first-inning lead in the second game by diving under a tag attempt at home plate to score on a sacrifice fly by McGuire. Erickson reached base on an error when her line drive was bobbled by third baseman Lori Avis.

The Hornets threatened in the fourth inning when Nancy Nunnes doubled and advanced on Toni Heisler’s two-out single. The Lady Matadors escaped the inning unscathed, however, when Schmitt picked off Nunnes at third.

CSUN added a run in its half of the fourth when Schmitt strode home on a wild pitch.

Lindstrom struck out six batters, including the final two, and allowed three hits in the second game.