Titans Sweep No. 25 Northwestern by 2-1
Scores Mar. 24, 2004 – Fullerton, Calif.
Box Score - Game One Box Score - Game Two The Cal State Fullerton softball team posted a doubleheader
sweep of No. 25 Northwestern on Wendesday night, downing the Wildcats
by identical 2-1 scores at the Titan Softball Complex.
The Titans, now winners of three of their last four games, improve to
10-19 overall on the season. It is the first time this year that Fullerton
has won back-to-back games. Northwestern fell to 14-7 overall.
In game one, both teams went hitless through the first three innings until
Northwestern's Carrie Leto led off the fourth with a single up the middle.
However, it wasn't until the bottom of the fourth that a team got on the
scoreboard and that came courtesy of the Titans' Tiffany Hoff, as she
smacked a 1-0 pitch from Wildcats' starter Courtnay Foster down the left
field line and over the fence with a runner on for the 2-0 lead. It was
her second career home run.
Northwestern answered back with a run in the sixth, but threatened to
put up more. A leadoff walk and an infield single put the first two runners
on, and both were promptly sacrificed over. That brought up Garland Cooper,
who reached when the Titans' first baseman couldn't hang on to the throw,
scoring Sheila McCorkle to cut it to 2-1.
However, instead of runners at the corners with one out, Jody Campbell
threw back to third base on the same play, and Carolyn Bullard tagged
out Carrie Leto, who overslid the bag, for the second out. Eryn Manahan
then popped out to shortstop to end the inning.
The Titans had chances to break things wide open, loading the bases with
one out in the fifth, and putting runners at first and second with no
outs in the sixth, but Fullerton came away empty both times and standed
eight runners for the game.
Foster (7-5) allowed two runs on four hits in the loss, walking six and
striking out six on the night. Brooke Weekley (6-8) earned the win, allowing
a run on three hits and striking out a career-high tying six batters in
the complete game effort.
Hoff finished 2-for-3 for the Titans while Porsha Draper (double in the
sixth) and Candice Baker each had hits, Baker's extended her hitting streak
to eight games. Leto was 2-for-3 for the Wildcats.
Julie Watson stole her 14th base of the year and the 25th of her career
in the fifth, moving her into a tie for eighth on the school's career
list.
In game two, junior Lindsey Bashor's flare over the second baseman's head
in the seventh inning glanced off her glove and allowed the winning run
to score in the 2-1 Titan victory.
The Titans got on the board early against Wildcats' starter Eileen Canney
(7-2), putting the first two runners on base via hits and scoring on a
ground out by Bashor, plating Julie Watson for the 1-0 lead.
Fullerton starter Candice Baker (4-11) cruised through the first four
innings, striking out seven and facing just two over the minimum, but
the Wildcats mounted a rally in the fifth, putting runners at the corners
with no outs after a pair of walks to lead off the inning.
However, a nice play by shortstop Porsha Draper to get the runner coming
home on a ground ball, a ground out back to Baker in the circle, and a
lineout to left field ended the threat and preserved the Titans' lead.
The Wildcats would not go quietly, mounting yet another rally in the sixth,
putting the first two runners on via back-to-back singles. After a fly
out and an error loaded the bases, Kristen Amegin's long fly ball to center
was caught and Sheila McCorkle barely beat a perfect strike home by Bashor
to tie the game at 1-1.
Northwestern threatened to push across the go-ahead run in the seventh
as a hit batter and another error with one out, put a pair of runners
on base. After a strikeout for the second out, Erin Mobley singled off
Carolyn Bullard's glove at third, but a great back-up by Porsha Draper
saved a possible run.
Baker then got Garland Cooper to pop out to second to end the threat.
That set up the bottom of the seventh as Jenna Wheeler singled up the
middle to start the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice by Jennifer
Holt, and moved to third on an infield single by Julie Watson.
Monica Tanlinger then reached on a fielder's choice to bring up Bashor,
whose hit off the end of the bat floated over the head of the second baseman
Carrie Leto, but glanced off the tip when she attempted to make a diving
catch.
Baker allowed a run on five hits, walking two and striking out a career-high
nine batters. Canney pitched well in the loss, allowing seven hits and
striking out six.
Watson had a pair of hits for the Titans while five more players had a
single hit on the night. Erin Mobley was 3-for-4 for the Wildcats.
The Titans return to action on Friday (March 26) when they host No. 6
Washington at 6 p.m. in a single game at the Titan Softball Complex. The
Huskies will meet Northwestern in a single game prior to the Fullerton
contest at 4 p.m.
