Cal State Fullerton's postseason hopes got a big boost on Saturday as
the Titans swept a doubleheader from Big West Conference rival Pacific
by the scores of 6-5 and 7-3 on Saturday afternoon at the Titan Softball
Complex.
With the victories, Cal State Fullerton assured itself of a winning season,
improving to 24-19 overall, 10-7 in the Big West, and extended its winning
streak to five games. Pacific fell to 28-23, 10-7 in league play.
The two teams conclude their three game series with a Mother's Day tilt
on Sunday afternoon (May 8) at noon.
GAME 1: CAL STATE FULLERTON 6, PACIFIC 5 Cal State Fullerton's Katie Gollhardt and Candice Baker each
had a pair of RBI's and the Titans withstood a seventh-inning rally by
visiting Pacific to eke out a 6-5 victory in the opener of a Big West
doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
Trailing by four runs entering the seventh inning, the Tigers put together
a rally, plating three runs thanks to a one-out two-run double by Ashlie
D'Errico and a two-out run-scoring single by Kristen Allen (on the 12th
pitch of the at-bat), who advanced to second on a wild throw home by the
Titans' centerfielder.
After pinch-runner Natalie King moved to third on a single by Crystal
Presson, putting the tying and winning runs on the corners, Fullerton
starter Marissa Marzan ot Brittany Hyams to foul out on a diving catch
over the dugout rail by third baseman Crystal Vieyra to end the game.
The Titans jumped out to the quick lead in the third, scoring three times
with two outs. Gollhardt got things started by tripling to the fence in
right centerfield, driving home Amanda Kamekona and Lindsey Bashor for
the 2-0 lead. She would eventually come around to score one batter later
when Baker singled back up the middle to make it 3-0.
Pacific closed the gap back to a single run with single runs in the fourth
and fifth thanks to RBI singles by D'Errico and Michelle Anunciation to
make it 3-2.
Fullerton extended its lead thanks to a pair of runs in its half of the
fifth as Baker drove home a run with her second hit of the day and scored
the second run on a double steal with Ashley Van Boxmeer to make it 5-2.
The Titans added another crucial run in the sixth as Bashor's sacrifice
fly to deep centerfield plated Vieyra with what turned out to be the winning
run.
Marzan (11-5) won her fifth decision in her last six starts, going the
distance and allowing three earned runs on 12 hits while striking out
five.
King (15-8) suffered the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits, walking
four and striking out four in the complete game effort.
Gina Carbonatto, D'Errico, and Allen each had a pair of hits for the Tigers
while Baker had a pair to pace the Fullerton offense.
GAME 2: CAL STATE FULLERTON 7, PACIFIC 3 Sophomore righthander Brooke Weekley carried a no-hitter into
the seventh inning and the Titans got home runs from Amanda Kamekona and
Ashley Van Boxmeer to key a 7-3 victory and a doubleheader sweep of Pacific.
Weekley (5-4) was masterful, holding the Tigers to without a hit until
the second batter of the seventh inning and had a shutout going before
Ashlie D'Errico smacked her fourth home run of the season, plating two
runs ahead of her to cut Fullerton's lead to 7-3.
Baker pitched to the final three batters, setting down the side with a
pair of fly balls and a ground out to end the game. Weekley allowed the
three runs (two earned) on two hits, walking two and striking out nine
while setting down the first 11 batters of the game and 17 of the first
19.
Kristen Allen (3-3) suffered the loss for the Tigers, allowing six runs
on six hits, and walking one. Lauren Sandelin pitched the final 3.2 innings,
allowing an unearned run on one hit.
Freshman Amanda Kamekona got the Titans on the board quickly in the first,
smacking her second home run of the season over the left field fence for
the 1-0 lead.
Fullerton added to the lead with three in the second as Ashley Van Boxmeer
led off with a single and moved to second when the ball was misplayed
by the rightfielder. Van Boxmeer would score one batter later on Tiffany
Hoff's double down the left field line for the 2-0 advantage.
After a pop up by Vieyra for the first out, Kiki Munoz singled up the
middle to put runners at the corners and both would eventually score on
Lindsey Bashor's two-out single up the middle to make it 4-0.
The Titans tacked on two more in the third inning as Katie Gollhardt walked
and scored two batters later on Van Boxmeer's sixth home run of the season
for the 6-0 lead and Fullerton completed the scoring on a double by Munoz
for the 7-0 advantage.
Van Boxmeer finished the game 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and two RBI
while Munoz also finished 2-for-3 to pace the offense.
