CSUN 3, B-CU 0Cal State Northridge pitcher Isabella Alonso went the distance in the circle, while Shaylan Whatman had a pair of hits for the Matadors on Saturday morning to earn a 3-0 win over Bethune-Cookman in softball action played at Big League Dreams Complex in Cathedral City, California. Cal State Northridge (11-2) plated the game’s opening run in the bottom of the fifth inning. After a single from Shaylan Whatman and a double by Alexis Chavez, it was left fielder Mikayla Carman collecting an RBI ground out back to the circle scoring the CSUN third baseman and cracking the deadlock, 1-0. In the home-half of the sixth, the Matadors added two insurance runs to make it 3-0. Lulu Sanchez’s double up the middle with one away put the Matadors’ centerfielder into scoring position. Pinch runner Kennedy Gustin worked her way to second on a Bethune-Cookman error charged to Briana Velazquez at shortstop. Two plays later, Gizella Vargas Sando sent a ball back up the middle driving in Gustin and pinch runner Raegan Jackson, respectively. Bethune-Cookman (1-12) put two base runners aboard in the top of the seventh as the Wildcats looked to rally. Brooklyn Scott singled and Thais Uyema followed with her only hit of the game to put runners on the corners. But a strikeout would end the game and leave the runners stranded for the Maroon and Gold. CSUN’s Isabella Alonso pitched the complete game for the Matadors, scattering three hits in the shutout, while adding four strikeouts and zero (0) walks. With the win, she upped her record to 4-1 for the season. Angelina Badalament dropped to 0-3 on the season for the Wildcats as she collected the loss, pitching six innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks. The CSUN offense was paced by Whatman with a 2-for-3 game and a run scored. Vargas Sando was 1-for-1 in a pinch hit effort, adding two RBIs as well. B-CU got hits from each of Joyce Bloome, Brooklyn Scott and Thais Uyema on the day – each going 1-for-3, respectively.
CSUN started strong as Isabella Alonso didn’t allow a single hit to get past her in the first three innings. The Wildcats finally managed a hit in the fourth inning, but the Matadors quickly shut them down. Alonso got another no-hitter in the fifth inning. CSUN was first to get on the scoreboard at the bottom of the fifth with a grounder by Mikayla Carman to bring Shaylan Whatman home.
The Wildcats tried to even the score, but were unable to at the top of the sixth. The Matadors struck again as Gizella Vargas Sandoval hit a single down the middle to bring in Raegan Jackson and Kennedy Gustin for two more runs. The Wildcats tried for one last attempt at the top of the seventh, but Alonso held them down with a complete shutout to take the game.
