Cal State Fullerton senior Jenny Topping sent
a 1-1 pitch from Texas starter Cat Osterman over the left field fence
to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning and propel the host No. 9
Titans to a 1-0 victory over the No. 4 Longhorns on Wednesday night to
open the 2003 Kia Klassic Softball Tournament at the Titan Softball Complex.
Fullerton improved to 17-7 overall on the season and 1-0 in pool play.
Texas fell to 22-3 overall and 0-1 in pool play.
It is the second time in two years that Topping has single-handedly defeated
the Longhorns. In the championship game of the 2002 Kia Klassic, Topping
sent a shot over the left field fence in the bottom of the ninth off of
Osterman to clinch Fullerton’s second consecutive Kia Klassic crown.
Titan senior Jodie Cox (7-4) won her fourth consecutive game, allowing
just two hits, walking two and striking out seven. Osterman (12-3) allowed
the run on two hits, walking one and striking out eight in the loss.
Cox and Osterman matched one another zero for zero throughout the contest,
but Texas came out ahead with the better scoring opportunities in the
first six innings. The Longhorns stranded runners at third in the second
and seventh innings as Cox and the Fullerton defense worked out of both
jams.
Topping supplied both of the Titans’ hits on the night, also singling
to right centerfield in the first inning. Osterman then retired the next
15 consecutive batters before walking Gina Oaks with two down in the sixth.
In the seventh, Texas second baseman Chez Sievers reached on an error
to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice and moved to
third when Alexis Garcia grounded out to Cox for the second out.
Cox then ended the inning, getting Tamara Poppe to strikeout swinging
to end the threat.
