Optimistic CSUN Splits With Fullerton

The glass is clearly half full from the Cal State Northridge softball team’s perspective.

The Matadors played well in a 5-0 victory and poorly in a 5-1 loss of a nonconference doubleheader Friday night against Cal State Fullerton, but players were obviously looking at the bright side.

“I think overall we had a good day,” said Northridge catcher Scia Maumausolo. “We finally got to see what we need to work on.”

Added Coach Janet Sherman: “It’s like Pavlov’s dog. We’ll learn: If you play well you win, if you play poorly, you lose.”

Any victory over the Titans was welcomed by the Matadors, who lost four out of five games to Fullerton last season, including the regional championship game.

Northridge (3-1) dominated the first game behind the strong pitching and hitting of Jennifer Richardson.

Richardson (2-0) gave up six hits and one walk in pitching her second shutout in two starts. She also had two hits, including a two-run home run.

The only serious jam she faced--and even that came after the eighth-ranked Matadors had a five-run lead--was in the bottom of the seventh, when sixth-ranked Fullerton led off the inning with two singles. Richardson got out of the jam with three consecutive ground balls.

Maumausolo hit her second home run of the season, a screaming line drive over the left field fence in the first inning, and shortstop Julie Sessler added two hits for the Matadors in the first game.

The celebrations came to an end quickly in the second game, though.

Northridge made two errors and had two runners called out for leaving the base too early, among other gaffes.

Freshman pitcher Tara Glaister (1-1) walked six batters and threw two wild pitches, but she also struck out 10.

Of the five runs she was charged with, only two were earned.

“She did very well,” Sherman said. “She didn’t get much help from the umpires. I’m happy with the way she threw. This was really her first big game and she didn’t let anything get to her, not the umpires or the errors.”

The game’s key inning was the bottom of the fourth, when Fullerton (1-1) scored two runs with the help of a wild pitch and an error to take a 4-1 lead.

The Matadors’ comeback hopes were also stalled because they couldn’t get Maumausolo to the plate with runners on base. The No. 3 hitter, she was left in the on-deck circle three times as an inning ended, including the seventh.

Sherman said she might be considering reworking the batting order to alleviate that problem.

“There are still some things we need to work out,” she said.