Cal State Fullerton junior Marissa Marzan tossed a complete-game one-hit
shutout in the nightcap to help the Titans salvage a doubleheader split
with visiting Utah State as the Titans won 6-0 after the Aggies took the
opener by a count of 3-2.
Cal State Fullerton improved to 19-18 overall and 8-6 in the Big West,
snapping a four-game losing streak to Utah State. The Aggies fell to 16-26
overall, 5-12 in the Big West with the game two loss.
The two teams complete their three-game series with a single game on Sunday
afternoon (April 23) at 12 p.m.
GAME 1: UTAH STATE 3, CAL STATE FULLERTON 2 A sacrifice fly by Kelly Leos in the sixth inning broke a 2-2
tie and the Titans had the tying run throw out at home plate in the bottom
of the seventh as visiting Utah State defeated Cal State Fullerton, 3-2,
in the opening game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
Trailing 2-1, the Aggies rallied for a pair in the sixth, tying the game
on Quela Leonhardt's fourth home run of the year that almost wasn't. Fullerton
centerfielder LIndsey Bashor as a bead on it, catching it at the warning
track, but she crashed into the fence forcing the ball out of her glove
and over the fence for the home run.
After a pitching change, Jessica Garnett greeted Titan hurler Candice
Baker (2-2) with a single to center and she moved to third on a base hit
by Amy Schiable with one out.
That brought up Leos, who popped up to Amanda Kamekona at second, but
her back was turned to home plate, giving pinch runner Shawn Bjarnson
enough time to scamper home with the winning run.
After both teams went down in order in the next two half innings, the
Titans attempted to push across the winning run as Bashor led off with
a walk, moved to second on Amanda Kamekona's third sacrifice bunt of the
day, and advanced to third on a ground out by Katie Gollhardt to set up
the final play.
Utah State's Leslie Higley (11-10) then set up to give Baker the intentional
walk. After the third ball, Baker switched to the left-hand batters box
for the final pitch and the Titans got what they needed -- a ball that
went to the backstop -- but Candice Hatch's throw was accurate and Higley
blocked the plate, tagging Bashor out to end the game.
Utah State scored first in the third on a double by Sara Fleming to right
centerfield and Michell Vlahos scored as she crashed into Weekley trying
to block the plate on the run down, jarring it loose and scoring the game's
first run.
Fullerton bounced back to take the lead with single runs in the fourth
and fifth innings as Kiki Munoz's RBI single tied the game at 1-1 and
a double to right by Baker plated Kamekona for the 2-1 advantage.
Higley earned the win for the Aggies, allowing two runs on six hits despite
walking four batters. Baker allowed a run on two hits, striking out three
in the loss. Fullerton starter Brooke Weekley earned a no decision after
throwing 5.1 innings, allowing an earned run on three hits, walking one
and striking out four.
The Titans stranded eight runners on base, including three in scoring
position. Bashor's run in the seventh was the third time that Cal State
Fullerton had runners thrown out at the plate, as Gollhardt (first inning)
and Baker (fifth) were thrown out trying to score on USU errors.
Six different players had hits for the Titans while five seperate players
had hits for the Aggies.
GAME 2: CAL STATE FULLERTON 6, UTAH STATE 0 Cal State Fullerton's Kiki Munoz homered and drove in three runs
while Amanda Kamekona and Lindsey Bashor each added RBI hits to help lift
the Titans to a 6-0 victory over Utah State in the nightcap.
The two runs were more than enough in support of starting pitcher Marissa
Marzan (8-5), who allowed just one hit in the victory while striking out
seven and earning her fourth shutout of the year. The only blemish was
a single by Amanda Carver in the third inning as Utah State stranded five
runners on base for the game.
Munoz got the Titans on the board early, slamming her third home run of
the season over the left field fence in the third inning for the 1-0 lead.
Kamekona added an RBI single in the fifth for the 2-0 advantage before
Fullerton broke things open in the sixth.
Back-to-back singles by Ashley Van Boxmeer and Crystal Vieyra with one
out put a pair on and a ground out by Marzan put them both in scoring
position for Munoz, who smashed a single through the left side, driving
home both runs for the 4-0 lead.
Tiffany Hoff followed with a single of her own and was pinch ran for by
Whitney Kroh. With runners on the corners, Bashor came up and promptly
singled on a full count offering from reliever Heather Straight, plating
both runs for the 6-0 advantage.
Marzan then set the side down in order in the top of the seventh to secure
the win. Munoz, Hoff, and Kamekona each had two hits to lead the Titans,
who snapped a four-game losing streak to the Aggies.
Erica Hancock (0-2) suffered the loss for the Aggies, allowing six runs
on nine hits in 5.2 innings.
