Second-Best Enough for Northridge

FRESNO — Nothing ventured, nothing gained, apparently.

Cal State Northridge softball Coach Janet Sherman claimed from the first day of the season that the Western Athletic Conference title was not a priority.

Now, it’s not even possible.

Fresno State clinched its first WAC title since becoming a conference member four years ago by defeating three-time defending champion Northridge, 3-0, Saturday in the first game of a WAC doubleheader.

Northridge, No. 6 in the nation, salvaged a split by coming from behind to beat third-ranked Fresno State, 2-1, in eight innings in the second game--ending the Bulldogs’ 19-game home field winning streak.

Considering that the Bulldogs beat Northridge in four consecutive games before the Matadors’ second-game victory, Sherman was content to put an end to that losing streak--especially with the possibility that Northridge will play in a postseason tournament at Fresno.

“We played well,” Sherman said. “We swung the bat today and did a good job. They never felt like they were out of the game. Our mental focus is where it needs to be. It’s tough to play up here.”

But playing in front of 2,118 people in a state-of-the-art stadium that cost $3.2 million didn’t seem to provide much inspiration for the Matadors in the first game.

Northridge came up empty against Fresno State’s No. 3 pitcher, Jennifer Clark (16-5), who pitched a four-hitter.

Fresno State (47-9, 22-2 in conference play), playing without two of its top three hitters because of injury and academic problems, bunched three of its seven hits in the third inning to score all three runs.

Randi Berg scored from first on a double by Amber Wall and Wall scored from third two batters later on a dropped third strike by catcher Scia Maumausolo. Catalina Chavez, who reached base on the botched strikeout, scored on Nina Lindenberg’s double.

Northridge (41-13, 20-6) had runners on base in every inning but the second and sixth, but stranded all six, three in scoring position.

Jen Richardson (21-6), who lost for the first time in six starts, allowed one earned run and struck out two.

In the second game, Northridge more than doubled its hit production of the first, pounding out 10 hits.

But the Bulldogs, held to five hits, set the pace when Lindenberg drove home Wall in the fifth with a single up the middle.

The Matadors responded with a run in the sixth when Richardson drove home Maumausolo with a two-out single.

After starter Kim Peck was replaced by reliever Lindsay Parker in the eighth, Richardson came to the rescue again, driving in Jill Stribling on a single to right.

With runners at first and second and one out, Parker, a freshman from La Canada High, struck out Shelby Wilcox and Traci Gallian to escape further damage.

The Bulldogs used a hit batter and a fielding error by Northridge third baseman Kelly Toovey to put runners at first and second with two out in the bottom of the eighth.

But Tara Glaister (20-7), who allowed just five hits, struck out Brooke Bernardoni on three pitches to end the game.

Maumausolo had three hits for the Matadors, who end WAC play Saturday against San Diego State.