CSUN’s Windmiller Perfect Against South Carolina

Accused of throwing a perfect game against 16th-ranked South Carolina on Friday, Cal State Northridge pitcher Amy Windmiller copped a not-guilty plea and even claimed she was framed.

“Well,” Windmiller said, trying to shift blame, “the ball gets hit and the defense has to catch it. And my catcher has to frame the pitches so they look like strikes. So it was a whole-team effort.”

Despite Windmiller’s insistence to the contrary, the junior pitcher needed little help as she struck out nine, including the side in the first inning, and allowed only two balls to be hit out of the infield en route to a 2-0 victory in the first game of a doubleheader.

No. 14 Northridge (10-2), coming off a two-week layoff, won the second game as well, 5-2.

Windmiller had five perfect games last year at Sacramento Community College. It was the 10th perfect game in Northridge history and the first since last March 22.

“It takes a lot of luck (to throw a perfect game),” Coach Gary Torgeson said. “It also took a great catch and a strong supporting cast. But she struck out nine, so she did a lot herself.”

The catch came in the sixth inning--at a time when South Carolina pitcher Darlene Gareis was crafting a no-hitter herself--on a ball center fielder Jen Fleming was sure would fly over the fence.

“At first I thought there was no way I was going to get to it,” Fleming said. “But the wind was holding up the ball all day and it gave me a chance to catch up to it.”

But barely. At the end of the chase, Fleming had to dive glove-first to save the perfect game.

Northridge won it in the sixth on a circuitous home run by Beth Calcante. Before leaving the yard, the ball glanced off the glove of center fielder Toinette Reed and then off the top of the fence.

Unaware of her proximity to the permanent fence while chasing the home run, Reed ran headlong into the fence.

“She just got a hold of one,” Reed said of Calcante’s home run. “When she hit it, there was no talking in the outfield. I couldn’t hear anything, and the next thing I knew my face was in the fence.”

That capped a forgettable game for Reed, the only batter to strike out three times.

Scia Maumausolo singled in two runs, and Shannon Jones hit a two-run homer to lead Northridge in the second game.

South Carolina (11-9-1) has lost six in a row.