SB | Gaels Pitch and Slug Their Way to Doubleheader Sweep of CSUN

Friday, February 13

Moraga, CA

12:30 PM

Saint Mary's College of California

3-3

CSUN

1-5

CSUN

Saint Mary's

Mia Nishikawa: 6 IP 0 R 3 H 5 K 0 BB

Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner

SB | Gaels Pitch and Slug Their Way to Doubleheader Sweep of CSUN

2/13/2026 5:56:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MORAGA, Calif. — Softball is back at Cottrell Field as the Saint Mary's Gaels picked up a twin bill sweep of the CSUN Matadors, 8-0 and 3-1 on Friday afternoon. The Gaels will now shift their focus to Saturday, looking for the series sweep of CSUN.

Hannah Ferguson led an offensive surge that featured 17 hits and 11 runs for the Gaels over the two games. The redshirt junior went 5-for-8 at the plate with a double, a home run and four runs scored. Taylor Lane joined Ferguson as the only other Gael with hits in both contests, going 3-for-7 with a double and two RBI. In the circle, the Gaels got a pair of complete game victories from Mia Nishikawa and Ella Thurman. Nishikawa went six in the 8-0 run rule victory, good for her first complete game W of the season. She fanned five without a walk, and surrendered just three hits. Ella Thurman did allow a run, but went the distance for the third time in as many outings this season, also fanning five with just one walk.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gaels struck early in game one when Hannah Ferguson and Taylor Lane recorded hits in the first inning, with Lane's single scoring Ferguson with one out. CSUN kept the Gaels quiet after that point, until the fifth inning, when five of the first six batters reached, resulting in a six spot. A Victoria Castillo sacrifice fly in the sixth, scoring Julia Medina would end the game early, as the Gaels went ahead 8-0, ending the game in run rule fashion. Mia Nishikawa allowed two hits to the first two batters she faced, then settled in to allow just one hit throughout the remainder of the game, striking out five, one shy of her career-high.

Again, the Gaels dented the scoreboard early in game two, as Hannah Ferguson and Sam Buckley opened the scoring with back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the first. The Matadors leveled things in the second, and kept the score at 1-1, until an errant throw from their catcher gave Saint Mary's the lead in the third. A fourth inning blast from Hannah Ferguson, her second career home run, would add some insurance, and Ella Thurman would see out the game in the circle for her second win of the year.

GAME NOTES

Hannah Ferguson rattled off five hits in today's twin bill, including her first home run since her freshman year.
Ferguson now leads the Gaels with a 0.400 batting average (6-for-15).
Mia Nishikawa became the first Gael to toss a complete game shutout, keeping the Matadors bats at bay to the tune of three hits in an 8-0 victory.
Ella Thurman worked her third straight complete game in the game two victory, leaving three pitchers available tomorrow who have not thrown an inning this series.
The Gaels did not commit an error in either game, moving their fielding percentage to 0.984 on the year.
Dating back to last year, Saint Mary's is now on a five game home win streak.