Cal State Fullerton scored three unearned runs in the second and senior
Krista O'Hanian slammed her sixth home run of the year to help pace the
No. 7 Titans to a three-game sweep of visiting Cal Poly by the score of
4-1 on Monday afternoon at the Titan Softball Complex.
Cal State Fullerton improved to 36-13 overall, 17-1 in the Big West Conference.
The Titans reduced their magic number to win the league to one game, needing
a win over UC Santa Barbara in the final series of the year or a Long
Beach State loss to clinch the title. Cal Poly fell to 20-37, 5-13.
Gina Oaks (18-6) scattered a run on three hits, striking out five and
walking a pair in the complete-game victory. Eva Nelson (5-13) suffered
the loss, allowing four runs (one earned) on six hits and walking six
in 5 1/3 innings pitched. Cassie Vanderbeek pitched the final 2/3 innings
in relief.
The Titans took the lead for good in the second, plating a pair of runs
on an error by the shortstop and another on an RBI double by Oaks for
the 3-0 lead. O'Hanian made it 4-0 with her sixth home run of the year,
and her second of the series, to left field.
The Mustangs broke up the shutout with a run in the seventh on an RBI
single by Carrie Schubert, but that was the only offense Cal Poly could
muster as Oaks got Kaitlyn Wilson swinging to end the game.
Cal State Fullerton closes out the 2003 regular season this weekend when
they host UC Santa Barbara in a three-game series. The Titans and Gauchos
open with a doubleheader on Friday night (May 9) beginning at 5 p.m. before
closing out the year with a single game at 1 p.m. on Saturday (May 10).
Pairings for the upcoming NCAA Regional Championships at the Titan Softball
Complex will be announced on Sunday (May 11) at 7 p.m. PDT on ESPNEWS.
