Erickson Omnipresent as CSUN Sweeps CLU

Lisa Erickson felt at home wherever she stood in the Cal State Northridge outfield on Wednesday.

Erickson played all three positions, set a school record for hits in a season and led host Cal State Northridge to 2-1 and 2-0 victories in a nonconference softball doubleheader against Cal Lutheran.

Erickson and her fellow CSUN outfielders were shuffled between right, center and left--sometimes all in the same inning. Erickson made at least one putout at each position and finished with four on the day.

“It wasn’t a problem since all three of us have wheels,” Erickson said. “We know each other’s voices and we’ve done it in practice.”

Northridge Coach Gary Torgeson rotated his players because he wanted to keep them mentally sharp.

“They play the same position practically every day and I wanted them to concentrate more,” Torgeson said. “They had to make adjustments to play each position and it forced them to focus more on the game.”

Erickson’s second hit of the day--a lead-off single in the second game--gave her 50 for the season, breaking her own record of 49 set last season. Erickson finished the day three for six.

The Lady Matadors (51-15) received a strong pitching performance from freshman right-hander Christy Alves (6-4), who earned wins in both games.

Alves allowed no earned runs on four hits and walked two in 12 innings. She struck out seven.

Debbie Dickmann pitched two innings of relief in the first game to earn her fourth save. Dickmann also collected her first collegiate hit in the sixth inning.

Erickson had a lead-off single, moved to second on a sacrifice and scored the first run of the day on Leilani Artis’ infield hit in the first inning.

The Lady Matadors added another run on Michelle Blaha’s single in the fourth inning that scored Char Schmitt.

Northridge can clinch its eighth consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Assn. championship by sweeping a doubleheader from UC Riverside today at Northridge. CSUN leads Cal Poly San Luis Obispo by 1 1/2 games with four conference games left.