CSUN Opens as Favorite in Regional

If form holds true, Cal State Northridge will win the two-day NCAA Division II softball Midwest regional beginning today.

The Lady Matadors, ranked first in Division II, have never been beaten by any of the other teams in the double-elimination regional.

They are 5-0 against host and second-seeded Augustana College, 1-0 against third-seeded Nebraska Omaha, and 2-0 against Southern Illinois Edwardsville.

On top of that, Northridge won the second of its three consecutive Division II titles when it last appeared in Sioux Falls in 1984. Finally, Coach Gary Torgeson says that this is his best hitting team since 1987, when Northridge won its fourth and most recent Division II championship.

The aforementioned might not mean a thing, but Northridge simply is not expected to be beaten in the regional, not with last year’s West regional loss to eventual national champion Cal State Bakersfield still in the memories of this year’s senior-dominated squad.

Northridge (46-19), which won its ninth consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title with an 18-2 record this season, defeated Bakersfield for the CCAA title last season but lost to the Lady Roadrunners in the regionals at CSUN.

In today’s opening games, Augustana (45-6) will play Nebraska Omaha (37-17) at 10 a.m. CDT and Northridge will play Southern Illinois Edwardsville (34-11) at noon.

If the Lady Matadors win, they will play the Augustana-Nebraska Omaha winner at 4 p.m. If they lose, they will play the loser at 2 p.m.

Senior Debbie Dickmann (23-7, 0.72 earned-run average) and sophomore Heather Lindstrom (14-6, 1.44 ERA) are Northridge’s scheduled starters, although Dickmann might start the second game if the Lady Matadors lose the first.

Five Northridge players have driven in 15 or more runs, led by All-CCAA selections Erin McGuire (24) and Anna Getherall (20). CCAA co-Most Valuable Player Lisa Erickson is hitting .376 and leads the team in stolen bases (44) and runs (37).