NCAA SOFTBALL : CS Northridge Beats Fresno State to Advance
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Tamara Ivie’s two-run home run during the first inning gave Cal State Northridge a 2-0 victory over Fresno State in the championship game of a best-of-three NCAA regional series at Northridge on Sunday.
The second-ranked Matadors (47-7-1) advanced to the College World Series in Oklahoma City May 27-31. It will be their first appearance in the World Series since joining the Division I ranks in 1991. Fresno State, which forced the series to a third game with a 2-0 victory in an earlier game Sunday, finished 38-24.
Ivie hit an outside pitch over the right-center field fence and circled the bases jumping and thrusting her fists into the air. For Ivie, who has hit nine of the Matadors’ NCAA record-setting 40 home runs this season, it was simply a matter of waiting for the pitch she had received many times before--an outside curve.
“I told myself if she’s going to bring that pitch, I’m going to hit it hard,” Ivie said.
Kathy Blake (21-2), a sophomore right-hander, tossed a three-hitter to beat Fresno State for the fourth time in four tries this season.
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