Calcante and CSUN Hang On : Softball: Left fielder boosts Northridge into World Series final with home run-stealing catch.

Perhaps Oklahoma State softball Coach Sandy Fischer said it best.

“This game came down to one pitch and one catch,” said Fischer at the postgame press conference.

Fortunately for Cal State Northridge, the Matadors benefited from both to beat Oklahoma State, 4-2, Sunday in a semifinal game of the Women’s College World Series in front of 2,275 at Hall of Fame Stadium.

The Matadors (52-9) faced elimination after losing to Oklahoma State, 3-2, in a 15-inning, four-hour-and-20-minute game earlier Sunday.

Oklahoma State (46-12) needed to beat Northridge twice Sunday to advance, but a three-run home run by Shannon Jones and a home run-stealing catch by left fielder Beth Calcante helped the Matadors advance to today’s championship game against Arizona at noon PDT. The game will be televised live on ESPN2.

It took 22 innings and 6 1/2 hours to determine which team would get the honor of facing Arizona (63-3), which beat UCLA, 5-2, in another semifinal Sunday.

Momentum changed sides all day, but when Calcante stole a two-run home from Karie Langelier for the third out in the sixth inning, it stayed with the Matadors.

“It could have very easily been Oklahoma,” Northridge Coach Gary Torgeson said. “I think both teams didn’t quit at any point in time and that’s the kind of softball you want at this level.”

With Oklahoma State trailing, 4-2, and Tonia Brown aboard on a single, Langelier ripped a shot to left field and Calcante dropped back.

“I was praying it wouldn’t go over,” Calcante said. “Then when I went back, my butt hit the fence and the ball landed in my mitt.”

Calcante fell into the four-foot fence 190 feet from the plate, but held on to the ball.

Northridge’s reserves bolted out of the dugout and the Matadors had a short celebration in left field with Calcante as the guest of honor.

“I honestly thought it was gone based on where Calcante started out,” Fischer said. “But, it was an incredible catch. The outfield play in this tournament has just been outstanding. They have been making Barnum and Bailey catches out there all week.”

For Northridge, Calcante’s catch was payback as Oklahoma State left fielder Michelle Kelly had robbed Terri Pearson of a two-run home run in the third inning of the first game. Northridge scored all the runs it needed in the fourth inning of the second game. Jen Fleming led off with a double to center field. Calcante followed with a bunt, but the first baseman’s throw to first was wide and Fleming scored for a 1-0 lead.

With Calcante and Tamara Ivie, who singled, aboard, Jones ripped the first pitch over the left-field fence to give the Matadors a 4-0 lead. The Cowgirls scored two runs on three hits in the fifth, but it was all they could muster against Amy Windmiller (26-2),

* WILDCATS ADVANCE: Arizona eliminates UCLA, 5-2. C4