It was a win-win day at Matador Diamond on Saturday.

Cal State Northridge clinched at least a share of the Big West title and an NCAA tournament berth with a 2-0 win over Hawaii in the first game of a doubleheader in Northridge, Calif.

After watching the Matadors celebrate, the Rainbow Wahine earned the distinction of being the first team to take a series off the Matadors in conference play with a 2-1 victory in the finale.

Rachel Lack’s two-run home run and Brittany Hitchcock’s second complete-game performance of the series powered UH to the split of the doubleheader and the edge in the three-game series.

Hitchcock held the Big West’s highest scoring offense to one run despite giving up 12 hits. She struck out one and walked two to improve to 16-7 and the Wahine won all three of their road series in Big West play, going 6-3 in California this season.

"They played well," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "Brittany gave up a lot of hits, but we made the plays behind her when we needed to."

UH (29-22, 10-8 Big West) returns to Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium to close the season this week with a series against UC Davis. The three-game series begins with a doubleheader on Friday with a single game on senior day on Saturday.

Saturday’s split left CSUN (40-13, 15-3) a win short of the outright title going into the final week of the season. But the Matadors hold the tiebreaker over second-place Long Beach State, assuring them of the NCAA berth.

After Hitchcock earned a complete-game victory in UH’s 4-3 win in Friday’s series opener, CSUN freshman Zoe Conley held the Rainbow Wahine to three hits in the shutout in Saturday’s first game.

Conley struck out five and walked two and CSUN scored on Taylor Glover’s inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the first and Katie Hooper’s RBI single in the fifth. 

Kanani Aina Cabrales gave up eight hits, struck out three and walked none and went the distance for UH in the loss.

In the second game, CSUN starter Brianna Elder held UH without a hit going into the fourth inning before Lack hit a blast into the wind to left field with Kristina Akiona on base to give UH the lead.

CSUN responded with a run in the bottom of the inning, but Hitchcock held off the Matadors the rest of the way. 

"They had their little celebration after the first game and I think our kids took a little offense to that and came out they played much better," Coolen said. "Brittany pitched real well, got herself out of different jams."

Kanani Aina Cabrales and Kayla Wartner. Zoe Conley and Katie Hooper. W–Conley. L–Aina Cabrales.

Leading hitters–CSUN: Taylor Glover, 2-3, HR; Hooper, 3-3, 2B.

Brittany Hitchcock and Kayla Wartner. Brianna Elder, Zoe Conley (4) and Katie Hooper. W–Hitchcock. L–Elder.

Leading hitters–Hawaii: Rachel Lack, HR, 2 RBIs. CSUN: Jordan Sauceda, 2-4, RBI; Savannah Horvath, 2-4; Maylynn Mitchell, 2-3; Kaitlin Toerner, 2-2.