Offense Goes South for Northridge

The road to the College World Series got much longer Friday night for the Cal State Northridge softball team.

The Matadors fell behind early, managed just five hits and lost to California, 3-1, in a first-round game of an NCAA regional tournament at Fresno State.

Northridge, which was eliminated by Cal at Fresno State in a regional last year, fell into the loser’s bracket and must win four games to advance to the World Series.

The Matadors will face Minnesota, a 2-1 loser to Fresno State on Friday night, today at 3:30 p.m.

Northridge (37-18), the Big West Conference champion which won 18 of its previous 21 games, made some outstanding defensive plays against the Golden Bears, but failed to live up to its .291 team batting average.

“We have to hit better to win,” Northridge Coach Janet Sherman said. “We weren’t as selective as we should have been.”

Cal (35-25), which finished fourth in the Pacific 10 Conference, took the upper hand early, scoring two runs on three hits in the first inning.

The Golden Bears added a run in the third on three more hits and chased starter Cheri Shinn (13-8), who had won nine of her previous 10 starts.

“I’m not making excuses but I wasn’t getting the calls I thought I should, and then I would get behind and didn’t hit my spots when I needed to,” Shinn said.

Shinn’s start was something of a surprise because Tara Glaister (19-9) has been the lead pitcher in the rotation throughout the season. Furthermore, Shinn hasn’t appeared to be at full strength since she dislocated her index finger trying to catch a liner with her throwing hand April 13.

“My thought going in was that [Shinn’s] 7-0 [in her last seven starts],” Sherman said. “She’s been throwing very strong and I thought she could get the job done.”

Glaister was virtually unhittable in relief, allowing one hit in 4 1/3 innings. She retired the first eight batters before hitting Holly Yost with a pitch with one out in the sixth.

The Matadors, who managed a single in each of the first three innings, scored in the bottom of the sixth. Jessica Creith, who had two hits, doubled to lead off the inning, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch.

Cal Coach Diane Ninemire said grabbing a 3-0 lead was key against the Matadors.

“I know for Northridge, when they score first, they usually win,” Ninemire said. “I knew it was going to be very important for us to score first and keep the pressure on. You have to shut the door when you can.”

Cal ace Whitney Floyd (19-13) kept the door shut by working the outside of the plate against the Matadors, who are 29-3 when they score first. Floyd had no problem with the bottom half of Northridge’s lineup. The No. 6 through No. 9 batters were a combined zero for 11.

“I could tell they were getting anxious when they started chasing pitches,” Sherman said.

“It was easy for me to see, but I couldn’t get the remedy in there.”