The No. 7 Cal State Fullerton softball continued its
winning ways on Thursday afternoon, sweeping a non-conference doubleheader
against Loyola Marymount by the scores of 9-0 in five innings and 5-2
at the LMU Softball Field.
Cal State Fullerton improved to 40-9 overall on the season and has won
its last 31 consecutive games dating back to the beginning of March. The
Titans are just four wins short of tying the school’s longest winning
streak of 35 set in 1987. LMU fell to 18-25 overall on the year.
In game one, Fullerton sent 12 batters to the plate in the fifth inning
and crushed three home runs on the afternoon en route to the 9-0 mercy-rule
win. The Titans got on the board right off the bat in the first inning,
as Gina Oaks sent a 2-2 pitch from LMU starter Sami Strinz (5-3) over
the left field fence for a 1-0 lead.
Fullerton then unloaded for eight runs in the fifth inning as Amanda Hockett
led off with a single and moved to third on an error by the Lions’
third baseman on a ground ball by Julie Watson.
Hockett would eventually score on a groundout by Jennifer Holt and the
floodgates burst opened with two outs. Oaks had an infield single to score
Julie Watson and was followed by Jodie Cox, who singled, and Monica Lucatero,
who drove home Oaks to make it 4-0.
Senior Yasmin Mossadeghi then launched her ninth home run of the season
to right field to make it 7-0. Amy LaRocque kept things going with a single
up the middle and was followed by Hockett, who drove a pitch over the
centerfield fence to make it 9-0.
Oaks (17-2) threw four innings of no-hit softball, walking two and striking
out two. Christy Robitaille allowed the Lions a leadoff hit in the fifth,
but set LMU down in order after that to end the game.
In game two, Yasmin Mossadeghi led off the fourth inning with her second
home run of the day and the Titans withstood a late LMU rally en route
to the 5-2 victory.
Fullerton added two more in the fourth inning following Mossadeghi’s
blast, her 10th of the season, thanks to three Lion errors. The Titans
added another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Jocelyn Evans to score
pinch runner Julie Watson for a 4-0 lead.
LMU struck back in the sixth on an RBI single to left field by Strinz
and a run-scoring double to right field by Trisha Gomes to cut the gap
to 4-2. Robitaille (10-3) then reentered the game in relief of Jodie Cox
(who entered the game in the bottom of the fourth in relief of Robitaille)
and got Phillips to strikeout swinging and got Heliotes to ground out
to the shortstop to end the threat.
The Titans loaded the bases with two-out in the seventh thanks to a fielder’s
choice and back-to-back singles and scored an insurance run when Kristy
Halagarda drew a walk on a full count to make it 5-2.
Robitaille then set the side down in order in the seventh to preserve
the win.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action next weekend (April 20-21) as the
Titans travel to Stockton, Calif., and resume Big West play with a three-game
series against second-place Pacific. Saturday’s doubleheader begins
at 12 p.m. and Sunday’s final game also begins at noon.
