Cal State Fullerton rallied for two runs in the eighth inning of the nightcap
in a 2-0 win over UC Davis after scoring four times in the sixth inning
to score a 5-4 win in the opener, as the Titans swept the Aggies in a
nonconference softball doubleheader on Saturday at La Rue Field.
UC Davis dropped to 7-42 on the season with the pair of tough defeats
while Cal State Fullerton improved to 21-19.
Marissa Marzan pitched a three-hit shutout in the second game for the
Titans, improving to 9-5. She also had her first save in the opener.
Fullerton scored the go-ahead runs of the second game in extra innings
after UC Davis couldn't capitalize on a good opportunity to score the
winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Aggies loaded the
bases with one out in that frame before Rachel Kelly dribbled a ball up
the first-base line. First baseman Katie Gollhardt charged the ball and
shoveled a short toss to catcher Kiki Munoz for the second out, just ahead
of the sliding Nikki Sheldon. Marzan then struck out Lauren Pieretti to
end the threat.
Munoz led off the eighth with a walk against relief pitcher Stacey Benzing.
With one out, pinch-runner Molly Perez scored from first on Lindsey Bashor's
single to right after the throw in from the outfield got away in the infield.
A wild pitch later scored the second run. De La Hoya led off the bottom
half of the inning with a long double but was thrown out on a strong relay
trying to stretch it into a triple.
Marzan was then able to close the inning out and help get the Titans the
sweep. The Aggies also had runners at second and third with one out in
the fifth, but Marzan picked up a pair of strikeouts to end that threat.
Marzan didn't allow a hit until the seventh inning and finished with 10
strikeouts while walking three.
The Aggies had just three hits in the opener as well but led 4-1 after
five innings after Megan Turman's two-out double to right-center field
scored Benzing. Kelly then followed with a line drive off the glove at
Munoz at third, scoring Turman with the second run of the inning. However,
Ashley Van Boxmeer had an RBI single up the middle in the top of the sixth,
igniting a four-run rally which was also sparked by Tiffany Hoff's two-run
double to left.
Trailing 5-4, UC Davis had the tying run at second base with one out in
the seventh but Marzan came on to get the final two outs and earn the
save.
The Aggies took a 2-0 lead in the third after Sheldon was hit by a pitch
with the bases loaded, scoring Kristin Herrera. Ashley Johnson then scored
on a wild pitch by starter Candice Baker for the second run before reliever
Brooke Weekley picked up a pair of strikeouts. The Titans scored a run
in the fifth on an infield grounder, setting up their four-run rally in
the sixth.
Weekley earned the win in the first game for the Titans, pitching 3.2
innings of relief. Kelly, who had two strikeouts and a walk while allowing
six hits, took the loss, falling to 5-15. Hoff and Baker each had two
hits in the first game with Baker hitting a triple. Johnson and Sheldon
also had singles in the nightcap for UC Davis while Amanda Kamekona and
Hoff had a pair of hits for Cal State Fullerton.
UC Davis and Cal State Fullerton will conclude their three-game weekend
series with a single contest on Sunday at noon at La Rue Field.
