Cox Strikes Out 16 as Titans Open Kia With a Win Mar. 13, 2002 – Fullerton, Calif.
Box Score
Cal State Fullerton junior pitcher Jodie Cox struck
out a season-best 16 batters and junior catcher Jenny Topping went 3-for-3
with a home run and four RBI as the Titans opened the 2002 Kia Klassic
with a 7-1 victory over Rutgers on Wednesday night at the Titan Softball
Complex.
Fullerton improved to 21-9 overall and has won its last 12 consecutive
games and 13 of its last 14. Rutgers fell to 1-7 overall on the year and
0-1 in Kia pool play.
It was Cox's fourth double-digit strikeout performance this season, surpassing
the 14 strikeouts she amassed against Massachusetts at the NFCA Leadoff
Classic on Feb. 22 in Columbus, Ga. She also had 13 against Stanford and
11 against Texas in the two games prior to the meeting with the Minutewomen.
Cox (6-4) allowed just one run on three hits and walked just one batter
in earning the victory. Leah Black (0-4) suffered her fourth loss of the
year, giving up seven runs on nine hits, walking two and striking out
four.
Topping started off the game with a bang, sending a shot over the right
centerfield fence with Gina Oaks on base for a quick 2-0 lead. In the
second, Topping made it 4-0 Titans with a two-run double to left centerfield
and Fullerton went on from there.
The Titans added a run in the third on an error by the Rutgers second
baseman, and two more in the fourth on an RBI triple by Kristy Halagarda,
who would eventually score thanks to an error on the third baseman on
an attempted pick-off play.
The Scarlet Knights would get one back in the sixth on an RBI double by
Meaghan Asselta that scored Nicole Casey, who singles to start the inning.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action on Thursday (March 14) afternoon
at 5 p.m. when the Titans face the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners in pool C play.
Rutgers will next face No. 19 Florida State at 3 p.m. in a game to be
played at Fullerton College.
