CSUN’s Women Edge Fresno State

A moment after Cal State Northridge pitcher Kathy Blake-Small gloved a screaming chest-high line drive off the bat of Fresno State’s Erika Blanco, the senior right-hander finally lost her composure.

“I caught the ball and thought ‘OK, I caught it,’ and then I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, the game’s over, the game’s over, we won,’ ” she said.

After Blake-Small made the game’s final out, leaving the tying run at second base, she dropped her glove and ball and jumped into the arms of catcher Scia Maumausolo to celebrate the Matadors’ 1-0 victory over Fresno State in a pool play game at the San Diego State tournament Sunday.

Fresno State rallied in every inning but the second, collecting nine hits, but the Bulldogs, Northridge’s biggest Western Athletic Conference rival, could not come up with the big hit. Fresno State stranded 10 runners, eight in scoring position.

Blake-Small (3-2) played well when crunch time came against the Bulldogs, who were chomping at the bit to break Northridge’s four-game winning streak against them.

Fresno State (12-2), ranked third in the nation, finished second to UCLA in the tournament despite the loss to Northridge, which tied for fourth place.

Northridge (7-5), which defeated San Diego State, 2-1, after the Fresno State victory, didn’t muster much offense in either of its two games Sunday, but what they came up with proved to be enough.

The Matadors set the pace against Fresno State as Lee Ann Taylor scored on Maumausolo’s first-inning single.

With two out and Taylor at second, Maureen Brady (4-2) opted to pitch to Maumausolo, who came into the game batting .750 (10 for 15) in the tournament.

Maumausolo took advantage by ripping a line drive down the right field line to bring Taylor home.

It was one of only three hits by the Matadors (Taylor went two for two), but Northridge made up for its lackluster offense with near-perfect defense.