AREA COLLEGE NOTEBOOK

The Cal State Northridge baseball team, in fifth place in the Big West Conference, travels this weekend to seventh-place Pacific for a critical three-game Big West series.

The Matadors (27-19, 5-7) have completed series with the top four teams in the conference and need a strong finish to be considered for the NCAA playoffs.

Northridge finishes Big West play with a road trip May 11-13 to sixth-place Cal State Sacramento. The Matadors also have a nonconference home game against Loyola Marymount on Tuesday and a three-game home series against UC Riverside on May 18-20 to finish the regular season.

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Northridge’s softball team has an easier path to a possible NCAA playoff berth. The Matadors end the regular season with a three-game Big West series at last-place UC Santa Barbara (18-31, 4-14).

Northridge (28-22, 12-6) can clinch third place with one victory in the series. Winning or sweeping the series would give the Matadors a chance to qualify for postseason play as an at-large team.