GAME NOTES

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — CSUN softball (6-13, 2-1 Big West) is traveling up to Cal State Bakersfield to take on the Roadrunners for a three-game series this weekend. CSUN will play a single game on Friday before playing a doubleheader on Saturday. Friday’s first pitch will commence at 2:30 p.m. Saturday’s first game is set to start at noon while the second game of the doubleheader will begin at 2:30 p.m. All games will be streamed live on ESPN+.

ABOUT LAST WEEK

CSUN kicked off Big West play by taking two out of three games from the UC Riverside last weekend at Matador Diamond. The Matadors defeated the Highlanders, 7-6 Friday afternoon, after a sixth inning pinch-hit two-run home run from Ta’Tiannah Wright. Kaitlyn Tso, who got the win,  came into pitch in the second inning and was still on the mound as CSUN needed three outs in the seventh. The freshman from Arizona did her job, retiring three out of the four batters to come to the plate, and securing the win for the Matadors.

In the second game of the series, CSUN was down 3-0 going into the bottom of the first. OF Raegan Jackson slugged her first career grand slam to give the Matadors the lead at 4-3. UCR came back to score two more before the game was suspended due to darkness. 

When game two continued on Saturday, CSUN was down by a run entering the bottom of the fifth. Isabella Hiner singled to left field to lead off the inning. Jackson walked to put two runners on for the pinch hitter Wright. Wright picked up from where she left off the day before,, singling through the left side as the lead runner from second scored tying the game at five. Savannah Simons then singled to center field and Jackson scored to give the Matadors the lead at 6-5. The Matadors added two more and clinched the series in the process.

In game three, CSUN fell 8-7. The Matadors had multi-RBI games from Madison Okano and Vanessa Perez.

HINER IS OFF TO A ROARING START 

Isabella Hiner is off to a fast start in her collegiate career. The freshman is currently third in the Big West in batting average with a .436 clip. She had two multi-RBI games in two wins in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, as well as another multi-RBI game in the Reggie Smith Invitational. She has only struck out three times in 39 at-bats and she has hit safely in nine out of the last 10 games she has played. On defense, she has been nearly perfect, only committing one error on the season.

RAEGAN TAKING ON HER ROLE AS THE LEADER 

Raegan Jackson is one of the longest tenured Matadors on the team. She is a certified leader with her presence but also her play as well. After being named a 2025 All-Big West Honorable Mention, she has not lost a beat in her senior season in 2026. She has hits in 16 out of the 19 games played so far and is currently fourth in the Big West in batting average at .415. She has 10 stolen bases in 10 chances including stealing three bags against Portland State on February 8, which was a career high.

TSO MIGHT BE THE ANCHOR IN THE CIRCLE 

Freshman Kaitlyn Tso is showing why her number might be called the most by the Matadors’ pitching coaches this season. Tso currently has appeared in 14 games, started in six, and thrown two complete games with three saves. She struck out a season-high five batters against Saint Mary’s on February 13, and she’s struck out 23 batters total on the season. Have we mentioned that she’s only a freshman?

ABOUT CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD

The Roadrunners are off to a slow start in 2026. Bakersfield currently sports a 3-21 record, and has gone 1-2 in Big West play. Their best batter is Kayla Whaley. She has a .417 average and .983 OPS with 15 hits and 11 runs scored.

In total, Bakersfield has only hit three home runs on the season, but the Roadrunners have driven in 41 runs. 

Another bat to watch for is Jayda Eaton. Eaton has a .375 average with 13 total bases.

In the circle, the Roadrunners are led by Amber Estrada and Cedes Saldana. Estrada sports a 6.46 ERA in 12 appearances, while Saldana holds a 6.84 ERA in 11 appearances. They have 19 total strikeouts as a team.

SERIES HISTORY: CSUN holds a 30-8 record all time against Bakersfield. CSUN took two out of three in Northridge in 2025.