BRIEFLY The Cal State Fullerton softball team (28-19 overall, 14-7 in
the Big West Conference for a third place finish), winners of its last
nine consecutive games, makes its return to the postseason this weekend
as one of four teams at the NCAA Regional Tournament hosted by UCLA at
Easton Stadium. The Titans are the No. 3 seed and open postseason play
against second-seeded UNLV on Friday afternoon (May 20) at 12 p.m. Top-seeded
UCLA (No. 7 national seed overall) will meet fourth-seeded LMU on Friday
at 2:30 p.m.
Play continues on Saturday (May 21) with three games at 10 a.m., 12:30
p.m., and 3 p.m., while the regional championship game will be played
on Sunday (May 22) at 12 p.m., with an “if necessary” game
to be played at approximately 2:30 p.m.
The winner of the UCLA regional will face the winner of the Athens, Ga.,
regional in a best-of-three series on May 27-28 at a site to be determined.
The host Bulldogs (No. 10 national seed overall) welcome Tennessee Tech,
Virginia Tech, and Kansas, this weekend.
F.Y.I. This weekend’s games will be broadcast and fans can listen
by logging on to Cal State Fullerton’s website at www.TitanSports.org
›› Live stats will be available for all games of the regional
through the NCAA. Log on to UCLA's regional website at www.uclabruins.com
to access the links ›› Tickets will be available at the gate
at Easton Stadium or by calling the Cal State Fullerton ticket office
at (714) 278-2783. Single-day passes are $10 for adults and $6 for students.
All-Session passes will also be available.
TITAN REGIONAL NUGGETS Cal State Fullerton is making its 21st NCAA regional appearance
(out of a possible 24) overall since 1982 and its 23rd postseason appearance
overall ›› the Titans will be making their sixth appearance
in an NCAA regional in the last seven seasons after watching their streak
of five consecutive appearances snapped in 2004 ›› The 28
wins for Fullerton are the third fewest among the 64-team tournament field
›› The Titans are one of five teams in this season’s
NCAA field with fewer than 30 regular season wins, joining Canisus, Wisconsin-Green
Bay (26), Arizona State (29) and Robert Morris (29) ›› Fullerton
is 4-2 against teams in the UCLA regional this season, going 1-2 against
the Bruins, 2-0 against LMU, and 1-0 against UNLV ›› Cal State
Fullerton is 61-45 all-time in the postseason (including AIAW results
in 1980-81), including a 34-29 record in NCAA regional play ››
Cal State Fullerton has never won a regional game in Westwood, Calif.,
going 0-2 in both 1988 and 1993 ›› The Titans have met 13
teams in the 64-team NCAA Tournament field this season, posting a 6-13
record against those squads.
SERIES RECORDS UNLV: Cal State Fullerton leads the all-time series with the
Rebels by a count of 35-21-1, winning the last three meetings, including
a 5-1 decision this season at the Palm Springs Classic on Feb. 27 ››
The Titans are 1-0 all-time against UNLV in the postseason, defeating
the Rebels by a score of 1-0 in the opener of the 1995 Women’s College
World Series ›› Head Coach Michelle Gromacki is a perfect
3-0 against the Rebels in her coaching career ›› The Titans
are 110-39-1 all time against current members of the Mountain West Conference,
including 2-1 this season. UCLA: The Bruins lead the all-time series with
the Titans by a count of 31-30-1, including taking 2-of-3 this season
›› The Titans won the first meeting between the two teams
in 2005, 4-2, with UCLA winning the final two by a combined 14-0 score
›› Fullerton is 6-9 all-time against UCLA in the postseason,
last meeting the Bruins in the 1996 NCAA regionals at Fullerton, and has
lost two straight and eight of the last nine meetings dating back to 1985.
LMU: Cal State Fullerton leads the all-time series with the Lions by a
count of 10-1, including sweeping a doubleheader from LMU at the Titan
Softball Complex on April 14 by the scores of 3-2 and 5-4 in eight innings
›› The Titans and Lions have never met in the postseason,
but has won the last five games ›› LMU’s last win in
the series came in 1999, a 6-2 win in the first of a doubleheader in Fullerton
›› Head Coach Michelle Gromacki is a perfect 4-0 against the
Lions in her coaching career.
