Top-ranked softball hosts hot CSUN
Matadors enter Westwood, Bruins prepare for Pac-10’s Matadors
today
By Rick Pal
UCLA will face the Cal State Northridge Matadors today in what
will begin perhaps the most important week of the season for the
top-ranked Bruin softball team.
There are 12 games remaining in regulation play, with eight
played over the next five days. Possibly the biggest games of the
year, UCLA first meets No. 9 Cal State Northridge (34-13) today,
and on Saturday it plays four games in Berkeley  two against
Stanford, and two against No. 10 California.
For the Bruins, their main concern is CSUN, even though the huge
Pac-10 weekend series looms ahead. UCLA is coming off rough
victories against Cal, one of which saw 12 Bruins go down swinging
against off-speed pitcher Whitney Floyd.
The Bruins’ bats must return to form if they hope to score
against the talented Matador pitching combo of Kathy Blake-Small
and Whitney Floyd-clone Jennifer Richardson.
"(Richardson) is quick, but she also has an excellent
change-up," co-head coach Sharron Backus said. "She will keep us
off-balance and we will have to battle."
Even though the Bruins are concerned about Richardson, it is
Blake-Small who is the top-gunner for the Matadors. From her 17-6
record, you would never guess that she owns an untouchable 1.12 ERA
and 111 strikeouts. Richardson isn’t doing too bad either with her
10-4 record and 1.55 ERA.
"UCLA has an explosive offense but we also have a strong
pitching staff," CSUN Coach Janet Sherman said. "There is a lot of
unity with our pitchers and they have been playing well
recently."
That the Matador pitching staff is "playing well" is an
understatement. In their last seven games, CSUN yielded only four
runs, and that includes playing against recent top-25 opponents
Utah and Long Beach State.
UCLA’s pitching staff, however, should not be forgotten. In
their last seven games, they have given up only five runs. Not only
does UCLA pitcher Tanya Harding own a mind-boggling 0.45 ERA, but
she is also undefeated at 9-0, including a victory against then-No.
1 Arizona. UCLA pitcher B’Ann Burns has two victories against the
Wildcats and boasts a sparkling 1.20 ERA.
To put runs on the scoreboard, CSUN relies heavily on outfielder
Scia Maumausolo. She has come through thus far, hitting .464 and
sending nine out of the yard. Also threatening to the Bruins
pitching staff is infielder Chelo Lopez, a freshman who has hit
.288 and driven in 22 runs.
According to Backus, today’s game is going to be a dogfight.
"As far as the defense is concerned, both teams are solid and
basically the game is going to come down to who gets the break,"
Backus said.