Northridge Loses Twice and Ties Record to Boot

It was a record day for the Cal State Northridge softball team and Coach Janet Sherman wasn’t happy about it.

Northridge committed six errors in the second game of a Big West Conference doubleheader against visiting University of the Pacific on Saturday to help the Tigers complete a 2-1, 5-4 sweep of the Matadors.

“That’s a pathetic performance,” Sherman said. “I told [the team] that was the worst I’ve ever seen.”

The Matadors (15-13, 2-3 in conference play) tied the record for errors in a game set 17 years ago to the day against Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Errors played a role in all five Pacific runs.

The Matadors roughed up Pacific pitcher Cindy Ball early, scoring three times in the second on four consecutive singles and an error for a 3-1 lead.

But Ball (5-4), a freshman right-hander from Camarillo High, settled into a groove in the middle innings, retiring 10 of 11 batters during one stretch.

“I really wasn’t thinking in the beginning,” said Ball, The Times’ 1998 Ventura County pitcher of the year. “Then I started to settle down. I told myself to just pitch and let my defense play behind me.”

In contrast, the Matador defense had a troublesome day behind freshman right-hander Summer Richardson (6-4), who struck out six and allowed five hits before being relieved in the sixth.

The Tigers (18-11, 2-0) scored two more runs in the sixth on two hits and two errors for a 5-3 lead.

Richardson hit a solo home run in the sixth inning off Ball, who allowed eight hits, one walk and struck out three before being relieved in the seventh.

In the first game, Liz Niadna’s solo home run with two out in the sixth proved to be the difference.

Brandee McArthur, who picked up her first save in the second game, threw a three-hitter.

Tara Glaister (9-8) allowed six hits, struck out five and walked one for Northridge.