Titans Snap Skid With 7-5 Win Over Spartans Mar. 11, 2004 – Fullerton, Calif.
Box Score Back-to-back RBI singles by Jennifer Holt and Lindsey
Bashor keyed a three-run sixth inning as Cal State Fullerton came from
behind to defeat Michigan State, 7-5, in the first game of a doubleheader
on Thursday night at the Titan Softball Complex.
Fullerton improved to 7-14 overall and snapped a three-game losing streak
in the process. Michigan State fell to 12-8 overall. It was the second
meeting between the two schools in the last four days after the Spartans
won the first-ever meeting between the two teams, 7-5, on the final day
of the Worth Invitational on Sunday.
Trailing 5-4 entering the sixth inning, the Titans got an infield single
by Monica Tantlinger, who was sacrificed over for the first out. Holt
then followed with a single to centerfield that was misplayed by the fielder,
allowing her to reach third base and scoring Tantlinger to tie the game.
Bashor then smacked a full-count pitch to left to plate Holt with the
go-ahead run and Fullerton added an insurance run when Tiffany Hoff's
ground ball was misplayed by the shortstop, allowing Bashor to score for
the 7-5 lead.
Baker (3-9) then gave up a single to the leadoff hitter Natalie Furrow
to start the seventh, , but got Jessica Beech to ground out and Brittney
Green to ground into the 6-3-5 double play to end the game.
MSU opened the scoring right away in the first inning, scoring a pair
of runs on an RBI double by Jessica Beech and scoring when Brittney Green
was caught trying to steal, allowing Beech to scamper home.
The Titans answered with a pair of runs in their half of the inning on
an RBI single by Jody Campbell and a sacrifice fly by Candice Baker to
knot the game at 2-2. However, the Spartans regained the lead in the second
inning, with another two-run outburst, scoring a pair on a double by Nicole
Mercado for the 4-2 lead.
After Fullerton cut it to 4-3 on another sacrifice fly by Baker, Michigan
State surged ahead with a run in the fourth on a wild pitch to make it
5-3. Baker, working with the bases loaded, then got out of the jam by
striking out Beech.
Cal State Fullerton got even closer with a run in the fourth on a single
by Jennifer Holt that deflected off the glove of the second baseman, scoring
Julie Watson and cutting the MSU advantage to 5-4.
Baker allowed five runs on seven hits, walking four and striking out four
in the victory. Beech (8-5) suffered the loss, allowing three earned on
10 hits and striking out six.
Watson and Holt each had two hits for the Titans, while Holt and Baker
had two RBI. Furrow went 2-for-3 at the plate for Michigan State.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action later Thursday night as the Titans
host Florida approximately 20 minutes following the completion of the
first game.
