Northridge Shocks South Alabama, 6-5

Cal State Northridge staged a four-run rally with two out in the eighth inning and upset 18th-ranked South Alabama, 6-5, Saturday in a baseball game at Eddie Stanky Field in Mobile, Ala.

The Matadors (5-5) trailed, 5-2, entering the eighth but banged out five hits, four with two out. South Alabama (1-1) also made an error and issued a walk in the inning.

Northridge second baseman Kevin Patrick singled with the bases loaded, driving in Adrian Mendoza and Chris MacMillan to tie the score, 5-5. Mike McNeely followed with a single to center to drive in Jeremy Sickles with the winning run.

Darren Dyt, who started the rally with a one-out double, scored the first run of the inning on MacMillan’s single to left.

Brad Foss allowed only one hit with two strikeouts and no walks over the final two innings to pick up his second save.

Jeff Martin (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh, allowing one hit with one strikeout and no walks.

“We got some clutch pitching from our relievers,” Matador Coach Mike Batesole said. “They came in and allowed no walks and got the job done.”

Mendoza had three hits, including a 450-foot solo home run in the fourth that pulled Northridge to within 3-2.

Batesole recorded his 99th victory in three seasons.

In other baseball games:

Pepperdine 4, California 1--Andy Shibilo allowed four hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings, and David Matranga had a two-run single for the Waves (2-2) in a nonconference game at Pepperdine.

Shibilo relieved Paul Avery with one out in the third inning after a 1 hour 40 minute rain delay. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.

The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was suspended after two innings with Pepperdine leading, 4-0. The game is scheduled to resume today at 11 a.m.

Harbor 6, Pierce 5--The Seahawks batted around in the sixth to erase a 5-0 deficit at Harbor in a pool-play game at the Western State Conference tournament.

Danny Phillips had two hits, including a home run, and drove in two runs, and Josh Miranda added two hits, including a double, for Pierce (1-1).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Cal State Northridge 50, Montana State 45--Guards Edniesha Curry and Tammie Mills each made three three-point baskets and forward Neda Milic had 13 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Matadors in a Big Sky Conference game at Northridge.

Northridge (10-10, 6-4) reached the double-figure mark in victories for the first time since the 1990-91 season.

Mills, a senior, scored a season-high 21 points and Curry had 17 points and six assists. Guard Jamilah Jones also had six assists.

Northridge led, 37-36, at halftime and held Montana State (8-14, 3-10) to 27.6% shooting in the second half.

San Diego 67, Pepperdine 58--The Waves (17-8, 7-3) made only one of 11 shots and were outscored, 11-2, in overtime of a West Coast Conference loss at Pepperdine.

Pepperdine led, 48-36, with six minutes to play, but freshman guard Jennifer Tuiolosega made a layup as regulation expired to end a 20-8 run and send the game to overtime tied, 56-56.

Samantha Rigley had 13 points, and Jenny Frank and Angie White each had 12 for the Waves, who shot 38% (23 for 61).

Canyons 79, Valley 67--The Cougars (20-7, 7-0) made eight of 10 free throws in the final 1:30 to seal a Western State Conference South Division victory at Valley.

Laura Tweedy of Canyons, the leading scorer in the conference with an average of 22 points, fouled out without scoring with 13 minutes to play. Wendy Gussner had 27 points and Zevette Mitchell had a school-record 30 rebounds for Canyons. Mitchell had 11 points and blocked five shots.

Ventura 71, Hancock 55--Lynda Amari had 23 points, eight assists and seven steals, and Amirah Leonard had 19 points for Ventura (28-1, 6-0) in a WSC North Division game at Hancock (11-17, 2-4).

Moorpark 70, Santa Barbara City 59--Melissa Shoden scored 16 points and Janim Halsey scored 15 for host Moorpark in a WSC North Division game.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Pomona Pitzer 81, Cal Lutheran 75--Pomona-Pitzer (16-3, 7-1) went on a late 9-0 run and held on at Cal Lutheran to break a three-way tie in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Mike Salser had 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Kingsmen (10-9, 6-2), who pulled as close as 77-75.