CSUN Splits Doubleheader With Sooners

There are Oklahomans who come to California hoping to strike it rich in the recruiting business. Oklahoma football Coach Barry Switzer has been doing it for years.

The latest Oklahoman to seek fortune out West is Michelle Thomas, the softball coach for the 16th-ranked Sooners. Thomas seems to have found it in the San Fernando Valley.

On Wednesday afternoon at Cal State Northridge, Thomas showcased some of the nuggets she has taken from the area. Cris Cerulle, who played at Alemany High, doubled in the top of the seventh inning to break up a no-hitter by CSUN’s Kathy Slaten, and the Sooners went on to win the first game, 1-0. In the second game, former Thousand Oaks pitcher Tami Richardson surrendered two unearned runs as Northridge won, 2-1.

“This area is a hotbed for softball talent,” said Thomas, whose roster includes six players from the Valley area. “This is my second year as coach, and I wanted to build the program up fast. We recruit a lot by word of mouth, and we try to come out here once a year to make contact with players we’re interested in.

“Life is a lot different, a lot slower, in Oklahoma. We tell the players that the fast lane is always there when you go home.”

Oklahoma (12-5) is in Southern California to take part in the 18-team Pony Invitational tournament that begins today at Cal State Fullerton. For some of the Oklahoma players, however, the games at Northridge were a homecoming.

“You get up for games like these when you’re coming home,” said Cerulle, who doubled to the left field fence after Slaten had issued a pair of two-out walks to the Sooners. “A lot of us are from this area, and we were anticipating playing in front of people we knew and had played against in high school.

“I guess we’re Californians at heart.”

Northridge Coach Gary Torgeson was happy with the split.

“We played Nebraska last year out of the Big-8 conference, so we figured that Oklahoma would be just as tough,” said Torgeson, whose Lady Matadors are 16-6. “They have a lot of players from this area and their coach makes no bones about it--they are out here to recruit.”

The Sooners are back because of their success in the past few years.

The transplanted Valley players, besides Cerulle and Richardson, include Donna Mobilia, from Northridge, Caryn Day, of North Hollywood, Lorie Fausett, of Valencia, and Laura Detweiler, Thousand Oaks.

“I thought I had Detweiler signed, sealed and delivered out of high school,” Torgeson said. “But, Oklahoma saw her in a tournament or something and offered her a scholarship. That’s the way it goes. It’s a great opportunity and there aren’t too many people who are going to turn down a full ride.”

Slaten (4-3), who struck out 14, was on her way to a no-hitter until she walked Mobilia and Elizabeth Stoia with two outs in the seventh. Cerulle’s double scored Stoia. It was the first earned run Slaten had surrendered in more than 43 innings this season.

“In softball, it’s a one- or two-run game when you play good teams,” Torgeson said. “You can’t give them freebies. You can’t afford to walk people.”

You also can’t afford to make too many errors.

In the second game, Richardson was sitting on a 1-0 lead after Carrie Watkins drove in a run by doubling off the left field fence.

Nancy Lucero singled and Kim Bernstein reached base on an infield single to open the Northridge fifth. Lisa Hall sacrificed the runners to second and third.

Northridge’s Jaime Gray was the next batter. She hit a ground ball to shortstop Tracy Spears, but the ball bounced off Spears’ leg into the outfield, allowing both runners to score.

Northridge plays Augustana College today at noon in its final tuneup before the 13-team CSUN Tournament of Champions this weekend.

First Game OKLAHOMA--Thompson, Mulry (7) and Cerulle.

CS NORTHRIDGE--Slaten and Gray.

WP--Thompson (5-1); LP--Slaten (5-3); S--Mulry.

Second Game OKLAHOMA--Richardson, Mulry (5) and Watkins.

CS NORTHRIDGE--Martin, Anderson (6), Slaten (7) and Gray.

WP--Martin (4-1); LP--Richardson; S--Slaten.