CSUN a Loss From Elimination in Softball Regional

Cal State Northridge’s “Drive for Five” is still alive, but the engine is sputtering and one of the wheels fell off Saturday in the NCAA Division II women’s softball Western regional at CSUN.

The Lady Matadors, in search of their fifth Division II softball title, are one game from elimination after dropping a 10-inning, 3-2 decision to defending-national champion Bakersfield in the double-elimination tournament.

Northridge (61-18), the top-ranked team in Division II, will have to win three consecutive games today to advance to Saturday’s division finals in Sacramento.

The Lady Matadors will meet Cal Poly San Luis Obispo at noon, and the winner will face Bakersfield at 2 p.m. for the regional championship. Because Bakersfield won both of its games Saturday, the Roadrunners (34-22) can afford one defeat and still advance to the regional final.

Saturday, Northridge won its opening game, defeating Dominguez Hills, 6-0, behind the two-hit pitching of junior All-American Debbie Dickmann, then met Bakersfield, a 5-4 winner over San Luis Obispo in its opening game.

CSUN Coach Gary Torgeson started Heather Lindstrom against the Roadrunners, but Dickmann found herself on the mound when the game was decided. With the score tied, 2-2, in the 10th inning, both teams started the inning with runners at second base under the international tiebreaker rule.

Dickmann retired the first two Roadrunners in the inning, but Leean Couch’s infield single and an intentional walk to Barb Santa Cruz loaded the bases. Dara Ferris then lined a single to center field to drive in Lisa Uranday with the winning run.

Lindstrom started quickly, retiring the first six batters, but the freshman ran into trouble in the third inning, part of it her own making.

Anna Martin led off with a single, and, after a pop out, took off for second base on Margie McCune’s tap to the mound. Lindstrom threw high to second, pulling Anna Getherall off the bag and putting Roadrunners at first and second.

The runners held on Tonya Warren’s fly out, but Couch doubled down the left-field line, scoring two runs.

Lindstrom worked out of the inning, leaving the bases loaded, and CSUN came back to tie the score in the top of the fourth.

Lisa Erickson, the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. MVP, led off with a single and Getherall reached on an error, putting runners at first and second. Leilani Artis bunted the runners over, and Char Schmitt walked to load the bases.

Pam Smith followed with a line single to left to tie the score, 2-2, but Bakersfield’s Margaret Harvey (11-9) worked out of the jam.

Dickmann (29-7) relieved Lindstrom in the seventh and allowed only two infield singles heading into the decisive 10th.

Northridge appeared to be in good shape when Erickson led off the top of the 10th with an infield single, putting runners at first and third. But Getherall’s bunt was caught by Harvey, who fired to third to double up pinch-runner Jennifer Miller. Moments later, Erickson was called out for leaving first too soon, and CSUN had run itself out of the inning.

“When I took over the program four years ago, we were intimidated by Northridge. But we don’t feel that way at all now,” Bakersfield Coach Kathy Welter said. “I’m certainly glad we don’t have to be the one to win three in a row.”

Said Torgeson: “I’m not counting us out. We’ve been in this situation before.”

Indeed, the Lady Matadors lost their opening game in the 1985 and ’87 regionals, according to Torgeson, but each time rallied to win a national title.