March 22, 2008
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -
Game 1 Box Score in PDF Format 
Game 2 Box Score in PDF Format
Senior Mercedes Lovato picked up her ninth win of the season and sophomore Christina Saenz collected six hits and five RBIs as the Cal State Northridge softball team (11-15) swept a doubleheader against Cal State Bakersfield (12-14), 6-3 and 8-7, Saturday at Matador Diamond.
Sophomore Amanda Pitzenberger also earned a victory for the Matadors in the pitching circle while junior Amanda Peek picked up three hits, runs and RBIs in the two games.
Lovato started game one for Northridge, tossing a complete game with six strikeouts. She now stands at 9-9 on the season with a 3.26 ERA and 103 strikeouts.
In the first game between the Matadors and Roadrunners, the first time ever the two rivals have met as Division I schools, saw Bakersfield pick up a run in the first before CSUN exploded for six unearned runs with two outs in the bottom of the second.
Junior Micah Putnam started the rally with a single and then moved to third after Sophomore Alexandria Alvarado reached on an error. Pitzenberger then laced a single up the middle to bring the pair home and freshman Kristen Mihm followed that up with another single. Both Pitzenberger scored on a single by Peek and senior Jackie Duree brought Mihm to the plate with another hit.
Sanez then smashed her first double of the season to left-center, brining around Duree and Peek. She is now hitting .204 for the season with nine RBIs. She also had a career-high four hits in game two against CSUB.
Game two was a longer affair, with the Roadrunners forcing extra innings after rallying to score five in the top of the seventh. Bakersfield jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one, which the Matadors cut in half with a run in the bottom of the second. Peek then put Northridge ahead with a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth. Putnam scored a career-high three runs in the game.
Northridge appeared in the driver's seat after scoring four in the bottom of the sixth to extend its lead to 7-2. However, the Roadrunners chased Pitzenberger and Lovato during their five-run inning before Pitzenberger returned to quell the rally.
In the eighth, Peek singled to lead off the inning and moved to second on a sac bunt by Duree. Saenz then collected the game-winning single with a shot down the left-field line.
Northridge opens Big West play next week, traveling to Stockton, Calif., to face the Pacific Tigers for a three-game series. On Saturday, Mar. 29, the teams will play a doubleheader at Bill Simoni field before playing the final game on Sunday. Saturday and Sunday are slated to start at noon.
