Cal State Fullerton scored four times in the opening inning and freshman
Brooke Weekley scattered just seven hits on the night as the No. 24 Titans
upset No. 6 Georgia, 5-3, in the final game of the day at the 2004 NFCA
Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.
The Titans snapped a four-game losing streak and avenged an earlier 12-0,
five-inning loss to the Bulldogs in Palm Springs last weekend. Fullerton
improved to 4-7 overall on the season and 1-1 in pool play. Georgia fell
to 10-3 overall and 1-1 in pool play with one game yet to play on Saturday
afternoon.
Weekley (3-3) was spectacular for the Titans, allowing three runs on seven
hits walking three and striking out five. She set down 12 of the final
15 batters she faced, including four strikeouts, for the victory.
Fullerton scored early and often off Georgia starter Katie Griffith (4-2),
who last week held the Titans' bats to four hits and struck out 12. The
first seven Titans reached base, including back-to-back-to-back RBI singles
by Jody Campbell, Tiffany Hoff, and Jenna Wheeler.
Candice Baker added an RBI fielder's choice for Fullerton's fourth run
to take the 4-0 lead. The Titans chased Griffith after facing only four
batters while her replacement, Kasi Carroll, didn't fare much better,
leaving after only three batters.
Staff ace Michelle Green then entered and took control, striking out two
of the first three Titans she faced and getting the third to pop up to
end the Titans threat and leave the bases loaded. She would go on to allow
only an unearned run in the fourth inning on three hits, walking one and
striking out 12 to keep the Bulldogs close.
Georgia got two runs back in the bottom half of the first when Katie Lewis
hit a one-out single and Kim Wendland hit a mammoth home run to right,
cutting Fullerton's advantage to 4-2.
The Bulldogs inched even closer in the third as Nicole Barber led off
with a hit to right, stole second, was sacrificed to third and scored
on Wendland's single back up the middle to make it 4-3. Green would reach
on a fielder's choice in the inning, but would be stranded at third when
Weekley induced Courtney Knight into an inning-ending ground out.
However, that would be as close as the Bulldogs would get as Monica Tantlinger
singled home Weekley in the fourth with a two-out hit through the right
side, giving the Titans a much-needed insurance run.
Seven different Fullerton batters had base hits on the day.
Fullerton is now in the drivers seat for a berth in the Gold Bracket,
but needs a a victory over Notre Dame on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. (PST) and
a Georgia win over Northwestern State in its game tomorrow to advance.
Should the Bulldogs and Titans both win, Fullerton would hold the tiebreaker
for the pool championship thanks to Friday's head-to-head victory.
Bracket play will begin at approximately 1 p.m. (PST). Gametracker will
be available for Saturday's contest against the Fighting Irish as well
as any bracket contests to be held.
