A Split Decision Gives CSUN a Moral Victory : College softball: Matadors beat top-ranked UCLA, 1-0, in 10 innings after losing first game, 2-0.

Considering the competition, this is one doubleheader split Cal State Northridge softball Coach Janet Sherman won’t complain about.

Northridge scored on a wild pitch in the top of the 10th inning and upset top-ranked UCLA, 1-0, after suffering a 2-0 setback in the opener of a nonconference doubleheader Wednesday at Easton Stadium in Westwood.

The eighth-ranked Matadors (35-14) have split five of their last seven doubleheaders, but Sherman, who played for UCLA in 1983-86, was more than happy to knock off her alma mater in her third try as head coach.

“These were good games for us,” Sherman said. “The sad thing is, we gave them the first game. We didn’t play as well as we could have.”

Northridge made several mental mistakes against the Bruins (36-3)--including misplays of two popped-up bunts, a botched squeeze and a fly ball that dropped in the middle of three Matador fielders--but senior right-hander Kathy Blake-Small was again the team’s saving grace.

Blake-Small (18-7), who lost the opener and won the second game in relief, was sharp throughout against a team that is hitting a mind-boggling .362.

She allowed eight singles and one earned run in the first game, but struck out eight. Twice she struck out No. 3 hitter Jennifer Brundage, who leads the Bruins with a .486 average.

“(Blake-Small is) awesome,” catcher Scia Maumausolo said. “She rises up to these occasions.”

In the opener, UCLA scored in the first on Alleah Poulson’s bases-loaded single to right. The Bruins made it 2-0 in the fifth when Brundage scored from second on Poulson’s single to left.

Northridge managed only four hits off junior right-hander Tanya Harding (10-0), an Australian National team member who joined the Bruins a month ago and seems to attract media attention as much for her name as her talent. Jamie Herrington and Maumausolo each had two hits off the Aussie.

In the second game, Northridge had UCLA on the ropes in the third. Julie Sessler singled to lead off the inning and advanced on Herrington’s sacrifice and a groundout by Jessica Cunningham. Maumausolo, who leads the Matadors with a .464 average and already had three hits in four at-bats, was intentionally walked (the first intentional walk issued by UCLA this season).

Freshman Chelo Lopez sent center fielder Ginny Mike (Camarillo High) to the fence 220 feet away for a drive that turned into the third out.

Blake-Small replaced Jen Richardson in the fifth with runners at second and third and two out. Blake-Small nicked Brundage’s arm with her third pitch to load the bases, but enticed a groundout from Harding.

The international tie-breaker took effect in the top of 10th, putting Tamara Silvera--the last out in the ninth--on second base to start the inning. Silvera took third on Kelly Toovey’s sacrifice and scored on a wild pitch by B’Ann Burns (19-3).

“You know I was thinking to ask Coach about going on a wild pitch and the very next pitch (got away),” Silvera said. “So I just went.”

Laurie Fritz, UCLA’s placed runner, was sacrificed to third by Kelly Howard. But Mike fanned on a squeeze attempt, leaving Fritz in limbo between third and home. Maumausolo tagged out Fritz and Blake-Small, who allowed just one hit in five innings, struck out Mike on the next pitch for the final out.