Matadors Find It’s a Matter of Time

Ties in softball? What’s next, crying?

Several fans of the Cal State Northridge softball team didn’t care much for the outcome of the Matadors’ game Friday against fifth-ranked Michigan in the San Diego State tournament.

“It’s like kissing him,” said Steve Toovey, father of third baseman Kelly Toovey, pointing to his father-in-law during an impromptu tailgate gathering after the game.

Northridge and Michigan were tied, 3-3, after six innings when officials called the game because the 1:50 time limit had elapsed, leaving the Matadors with their third tie in the 1990s.

Against Michigan, which was playing its opener, the Matadors atoned for an embarrassing 5-0 loss to unranked San Diego State on Thursday.

They produced seven hits and scored two earned runs against junior right-hander Sara Griffin, a two-time All-American and two-time Big Ten player of the year from Simi Valley.

Northridge looked sharp in the early going, particularly senior catcher Jennifer Parker, who threw out three runners at second base in the first three innings.

The Matadors broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when slugger Chelo Lopez, who has had limited action since re-injuring her lower back last week, ripped a pinch-hit, two-run home run over the right-field fence with two out.

“It was the first time [this year] I was actually shaking, tingling and ready to hit,” Lopez said.

Michigan responded with a run in its half of the fourth and added two more in the fifth with the aid of two errors by first baseman Cheri Shinn, playing in place of Lopez.

Northridge tied the score in the sixth, 3-3, when Parker singled and later scored from third on shortstop Pam Kosanke’s overthrow to first base on a routine ground ball by Katrina Nolletti.

Northridge’s Tara Glaister (2-1) allowed five hits, struck out 10 and walked four, two intentionally.

In other Northridge games:

Northridge 5, Hawaii 5--The time-limit rule caught up again with the Matadors, who gave up four runs in the top of the seventh to blow a 5-1 lead in a game called after seven innings.

Shinn went the distance for Northridge (5-1-2), allowing seven hits and only one earned run.

Stanford 3, Northridge 2--Glaister (2-2) settled down after giving up all of Stanford’s runs in the first inning, but the Matadors (5-2-2) fell short in a game stopped after six innings because of time limit.