The No. 7 Cal State Fullerton softball team saw its 10-game winning streak
snapped in the first-game of a doubleheader, but rebounded to take the
series with a victory over Long Beach State in the nightcap in a match-up
between long-time rivals at the 49ers Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon.
The Titans improved to 30-13 overall and 11-1 in conference play, winning
11 of their last 12. Long Beach State fell to 18-15 overall, 6-1 in Big
West action.
In game one, Rocky Staniorski's RBI double with one out in the bottom
of the eighth scored Colleen Burdick for the game winner as Long Beach
State snapped Cal State Fullerton's 10-game winning streak with a 1-0
victory.
Meredith Cervenka (8-8) earned the victory, going the distance while scattering
just three hits, walking three and striking out four. Gina Oaks (15-6)
suffered the loss, allowing the run on four hits, walking four and striking
out seven.
Once again the Titans had numerous chances to score, stranding 10 runners
for the game, including the bases loaded with one out in the first and
sixth innings. Both teams combined to strand 16 runners on the day.
Burdick led off the eighth with a double to right centerfield and advanced
to third on a sacrifice by Lauren Johnson. After Oaks got Arleigh Thorp
to strikeout swinging on what would have been ball four with a full count,
Staniorski doubled to right center for the game-winning hit.
Sophomore Heather Saltarelli had two of the Titans' three hits on the
day while senior Krista O'Hanian added a base hit in the sixth.
In game two, the seemingly unbeatable Jodie Cox (15-7) won her 19th consecutive
Big West Conference start and extended her scoreless innings streak to
36 straight as the Titans defeated the 49ers, 4-0.
Cox scattered just four hits, walked two and struck out 11 batters a day
after allowing just two hits and striking out 13. Lindsay Knoff (11-8)
suffered the loss, allowing all four runs on eight hits, walking three
and striking out two.
The Titans struck first in the second inning as Jenny Topping and Amanda
Hockett led off the frame with back-to-back base hits. Knoff got the next
two batters to ground out and strikeout to bring up Amy LaRocque, who
lined a shot down the left field line to score both runners and give Fullerton
the 2-0 lead.
Cal State Fullerton added two more runs in the sixth as junior Julie Watson
had an RBI groundout and sophomore Heather Saltarelli, who was 8-for-13
in the series, had an RBI single back up the middle to make it 4-0.
The 49ers had just two of six baserunners reach second base on the afternoon
as four different batters accounted for Long Beach State's base hits.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action on Friday (April 26) at Noon with
a doubleheader at UC Riverside.
