It’s a Grand Opening for Northridge, 7-2

For the Cal State Northridge softball team, it was the kind of season opener they expected.

For others, it was an eye-opener.

Unranked Northridge upset No. 11 Oregon State, 7-2, and tied the Beavers, 4-4, in the second game halted after seven innings because of darkness in a nonconference doubleheader Saturday at Northridge.

“We’re not [ranked] because people don’t know about us yet, [but] they’re going to get to know us,” Coach Janet Sherman said. “We’re better than people think.”

Northridge made amends for some spotty pitching with 15 hits in the doubleheader, most impeccably timed. Oregon State (0-1-1) got little from 18 hits.

Sarah Farnworth (1-0), a junior transfer from Utah who is expected to help return Northridge to the national rankings, allowed 10 hits and struck out two in the opener.

Farnworth admitted it was a less than admirable performance and recognized her teammates for the support.

“I played at Utah and I don’t think I’ve ever been this confident,” Farnworth said. “Here you know everybody can make something happen.

“We’re good. You could see that we can hit.”

The Matadors (1-0-1) pulled off the upset in the first game by scoring all of their runs in the fourth inning to erase a 2-0 deficit.

Northridge loaded the bases on two singles and a walk with one out and then systematically destroyed Tarrah Beyster & Co. one run at a time.

Run-scoring singles by Ui Bal and Elizabeth Pierce tied it, 2-2. Pinch-hitter Chastity Johnson was hit by a pitch to force in the go-ahead run and Jill Passafiume singled up the middle for a 4-2 lead.

Passafiume’s single chased Beyster but the Beavers got little relief from reliever Crystal Draper. After an error gave Northridge its fifth run, Draper enticed a infield pop-up for the second out but then surrendered consecutive walks to Veronica Lopez and Farnworth to force in the Matadors’ sixth and seventh runs.

Michelle Notaro, a Westlake High graduate, had three of Oregon State’s 10 hits, including a double in the fourth.

In the second game, Northridge was hampered by two errors and a mental mistake on the base paths.

The Beavers scored two runs in the third on an error by shortstop Bal, who mishandled a two-out ground ball and failed to locate it quickly, allowing Shawna Feldt and Brooke Rutschman to score.

With Northridge trailing, 4-2, in the bottom of the fourth, Meaghan Finnerty singled home Jessica Creith who doubled with one out. The Matadors had a chance to tie it on a deep fly ball to left field by Lopez, but Finnerty was called out for leaving third base early.

“I was anxious, a little too anxious,” Finnerty said. “I’m sure I’ll be doing tag-ups for an hour at practice [Monday].”

Farnworth relieved Summer Richardson in the fifth and did not allow a run in the final three innings.

Northridge tied it in the seventh when center fielder Parisa Plant, a Chatsworth alum, missed an attempted shoestring catch, allowing Finnerty to score.