Matadors Hope New Ball Means New Ballgame : College softball: Northridge sluggers to face Southwestern Louisiana, hoping to change tradition of low-scoring games in World Series.

“Yard Ball” has propelled Cal State Northridge to its first Division I softball College World Series, but Matador players point to their defense as the key to their fate in the Series.

“Offense gets you here, defense wins it,” said first baseman Tamara Ivie, whose two-run home run against Fresno State sparked a 2-0 victory in Sunday’s regional championship game.

Northridge will play Southwestern Louisiana today at 6 p.m. PDT in a first-round game in the eight-team, double-elimination tournament.

The Matadors emphasize defense, but they certainly aren’t letting anybody forget that Northridge set an NCAA record for home runs with 40 this season.

After Wednesday’s banquet honoring the eight series teams and NCAA All-Americans--including Northridge’s Beth Calcante (first team), Scia Maumausolo (first team) and Kathy Blake (third team)--a handful of Matadors changed from their dresses and into shorts and T-shirts to roam the lobby of Oklahoma City’s Marriott, which is championship headquarters.

Not just any old T-shirts, however. The front of the shirt pictures an oversized, bright optic yellow softball with red laces heading out of a stadium and into clouds. Over the picture, it reads: Yard Ball. At the bottom: Cal State Northridge Matadors, 1993 WAC Champions.

The new T-shirts coupled with Northridge’s home run record prompted a local TV station to film Northridge’s practice Thursday.

But it was simply “Yard Ball” practice as usual for the Matadors. Each of the starters gets 10 pitches from a pitching machine. The batter who “goes yard” most often wins. Junior third baseman Shannon Jones was Thursday’s winner with four.

Since the inaugural softball World Series in 1982, home runs have been at a premium in the tournament, which can feature up to 15 games. The past home run average per tournament is 3.1.

That number figures to rise, because this series is the first with the new firmer, livelier, polyurethane-core, bright yellow ball. And Northridge--with six players who hit two or more home runs this season--is likely to strike fear into opposing pitchers.

“I expect to see some more home runs,” Northridge Coach Gary Torgeson said.

Not all of the eight coaches with teams in the tournament favor the new ball, but Torgeson likes it just fine.

“I think this new ball is exactly what softball needed,” he said. “I haven’t been around the game that long, but in the 12 years since I have been here, I’ve seen more excitement from spectators and fans. . . . Of course, we’ve hit a few dingers and it helps.”

Second-ranked Northridge is one of three teams making its first appearance in the championship tournament. Connecticut and Southwestern Louisiana also are first-timers.

In first-round action Thursday, UCLA beat Connecticut, 3-0, and Oklahoma State defeated Florida State, 5-2.

Northridge’s game with Southwestern Louisiana (54-5) follows Arizona-Cal State Long Beach.

The Ragin’ Cajuns, ranked eighth nationally, are enjoying their finest season in school history. They are led by first-team All-American Kyla Hall (27-1, 0.52 earned-run average), who has 224 strikeouts in 188 innings.

“To say that we’re tickled to death to be here would be the biggest understatement you’ve ever heard,” Southwestern Louisiana Coach Yvette Girouard said. “No athletic team in University of Southwestern Louisiana’s history has ever made it to the final eight in any sport.”

The Ragin’ Cajuns hit 23 homers, led by sophomore outfielder Kathy Morton with eight. Morton is batting .359 with 35 RBIs. Heather Neville leads the team with a .361 average, and the team leader in RBIs is Lynn Britton with 42.

The Ragin’ Cajuns stole 113 bases to Northridge’s 22.