Matadors Answer Call With a Sweep

Cal State Northridge swept visiting UC Santa Barbara, 8-0 and 2-1, in a softball doubleheader Thursday and continued to answer the wake-up call it received two weeks ago, when it dropped out of the national top 25 for the first time since 1992.

The Matadors (24-14-2, 11-7 in conference play) have won six Big West Conference games in a row.

Tara Glaister (15-8) pitched a two-hitter, striking out 11 and walking none, in the first game, which was called after five innings because of the eight-run lead rule.

Glaister earned her third save with three shutout innings and three strikeouts in the second game. Cheri Shinn (9-6) earned the victory.

Northridge will play first-place Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on Saturday.

In other softball games:

Canyons 9, Santa Barbara 3--Amanda Huddleston hit a three-run home run for the Cougars (8-17, 4-6) in a Western State Conference game at Canyons.

Valley 8, Pierce 2--Kim Scott had three hits and three runs batted in and pitched a six-hitter for the Monarchs (14-17, 6-4) in a WSC game at Valley.

BASEBALL

Valley 4, Hancock 3--Dylan Forman hit a bases-loaded, two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Monarchs (6-25-3, 5-11) to an upset in a WSC game at Valley.

The Monarchs defeated Robert Anderson (7-1), the top pitcher in the WSC.

Santa Barbara 4, Canyons 3--Josh Clements drove in the winning run in the eighth to lift the Vaqueros in a WSC game at Canyons (23-11, 10-6).

Glendale 11, Moorpark 9--Steve Bruce went four for five and drove in three runs for the Vaqueros (22-10, 11-5) in a WSC game at Stengel Field.

Sheldon Philip-Guide had two doubles and three RBIs for Glendale.

Ventura 12, Mission 4--Jeremy Pierce (5-4) pitched eight innings and had three hits, including a home run, for Ventura (18-12, 7-9) in a WSC game at El Cariso Park.