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Hot Hitting Redhawks Go 2-0 in CSUN Matador Classic Opener

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Between its opening games at the CSUN Matador Classic, the Seattle U softball team (4-4) combined for 28 hits and 20 runs to defeat both CSUN (1-6), 6-2, and Pacific (2-4),14-9, at Matador Diamond on Saturday afternoon. 

Hot Hitting Redhawks Go 2-0 in CSUN Matador Classic OpenerHot Hitting Redhawks Go 2-0 in CSUN Matador Classic Opener
Elijah Hickman
  • Game 1
  • Game 2
Box Score
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Between its opening games at the CSUN Matador Classic, the Seattle U softball team (4-4) combined for 28 hits and 20 runs to defeat both CSUN (1-6), 6-2, and Pacific (2-4),14-9, at Matador Diamond on Saturday afternoon. 
 
Seven Redhawks recorded at least two runs between the victories. Senior Amanda Morris paced the team with five hits, two runs and an RBI in seven at bats, garnering a collective .714 batting average between both games. Fellow senior Nicola Simpson grabbed four hits, three runs and 3 RBI hitting .500 in eight bats. She was one of two Redhawks to hit a home run out of Matador Diamond.
 
Sophomore Karen Spadafora combined for four hits, two runs and an RBI hitting .500 in eight at bats. Her classmate, sophomore Mikee Morris, paced the team with four runs on the day. Morris picked up two hits and 3 RBI and recorded her first home run of the season.
 
Junior Taylor Fitch led the team with 4 RBI, recording three hits, including a triple, and two runs hitting .375 in eight at bats. Also picking up three hits was graduate Jasmine Wehn. She hit .333 on the day in nine at bats to pick up a run and an RBI.
 
Spadafora led the Redhawks with 14 total putouts with Wehn trailing by one, posting 13 putouts. Fitch combined for six assists to pace all Redhawks in two games. 
 
Picking up the wins from the circle were senior Naomi Chaidez and sophomore Avari Morris. Chaidez clinched her first win of the season against CSUN holding a 3.00 ERA pitching for 4.2 innings. She struck out two batters while allowing only four hits and two runs. Avari Morris moved into the win column for the first time this season after downing Pacific, posting a 2.80 ERA after pitching 5.0 innings. She struck out six batters on the day to lead all Redhawks with appearances in the circle.
 
Simpson pitched for 2.0 innings and struck out three batters without allowing a hit or a run. Sophomore Berkley Vance fared similarly through 2.1 innings pitched. She struck out two batters, allowing two hits and no runs.
 
The team combined for a .424 batting average on the day, recording 20 runs and 28 hits while holding their opponents to a .246 batting average and 11 total runs and 14 combined hits. SU's pitchers held a collective 2.00 ERA after the day compared to their opponents' 7.50 ERA, striking out a combined 13 batters to CSUN's and Pacific's seven.
SU opened the day against CSUN and grabbed its third program win over the Matadors since 2013. Simpson kickstarted the Redhawk offense in the top of the second, blasting a home run out of center field. Chaidez and the Redhawk defense held the Matadors scoreless through the opening four frames. In that time span, the Redhawks tacked on more runs starting with Fitch's 2 RBI triple in the top of the third. 
 
Simpson knocked a double to right field to avoid the CSUN defense, allowing Fitch to score to pad SU's lead to 4-0. The Matadors broke through in the bottom of the fifth, scoring their only runs of the day. Seattle U's freshmen wrapped up the remaining scores as Zoe Hopkins and Camryn Johnson each scored between the final two innings. Hopkins' run was the first of her collegiate career and it iced out the Matadors 6-2.
 
Chaidez and Vance tag teamed from the circle in the win. Chaidez faced 25 batters to Vance's 11 while both pitchers struck out two.
 
Following directly after the win over CSUN, the Redhawks returned to the field to face Pacific for the second time in two weeks. They immediately went to work unleashing the floodgates for a six run inning at the top of the first. A 2 RBI double from Fitch allowed both senior Tai Wilson and Mikee Morris to score. Wehn followed up with a single to advance Fitch before Simpson stepped up for an RBI single.
 
Amanda Morris picked up a hit while Wehn came in to put the Redhawks up 4-0 with one out. A sacrifice fly from Avari Morris allowed Simpson to score before junior Brooklyn Jones wrapped up the scoring in the first with an RBI double to draw in Amanda Morris.
 
The Tigers responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first. After both went scoreless in the second, Mikee Morris secured her 3 RBI homer allowing Amanda Morris and Spadafora to score. The Redhawks jumped back ahead by six runs at the top of the third.
 
Pacific rattled off six runs in the bottom of the third to pull back within three runs, but would be held scoreless through the final four frames. A 2 RBI double from Avari Morris in the top of the fourth pushed the Redhawks further from the Tigers as Spadafora and Simpson came across for the scores.
 
Seattle U would strike again in the top of the sixth off an RBI double from Spadafora that granted Hopkins her second run of the day. Avari Morris followed with an RBI single to draw Johnson in to put SU up 13-9 at the end of six innings. Mikee Morris picked up the final run of the game in the top of the seventh, shutting the door on the Tigers 14-9.
 
Avari Morris and Simpson went to work from the circle, with Morris pitching for 5.0 innings. She faced 29 batters and struck out a season high six batters, while allowing eight hits and two earned runs. Simpson appeared for 2.0 innings and faced six batters. She struck out three without allowing a hit or a run.
 
SU's 18 hits against the Tigers tied the second most recorded in a game in program history. The last Redhawk team to do so was in 2023. The Redhawks were one run shy of tying the fourth most runs in a game in the D-I era.
 
The Redhawks return for part two of the CSUN Matador Classic, revisiting both Pacific and CSUN. They take on the Tigers first at 9 AM before concluding the weekend against CSUN at 11 AM. Live stream is available for SU's game against CSUN.
 
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