FULLERTON, Calif.— The Cal State Fullerton softball team earned two more wins against Saint Mary's and Texas State at the USD Sports Complex on Friday afternoon. The Titans were pioneered by Christina Washington's five-plus innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 triumph against the Gaels, followed by Fullerton's offensive four-run third inning in game two, rallying against the Bobcats 4-2.
The Titans move to 8-1 on the season, while Saint Mary's falls to 2-4 and Texas State drops to 5-2.
Game One: Cal State Fullerton 3, Saint Mary's 1
Saint Mary's would open up scoring with an unearned run in the first inning as junior Sarah Lira hit a hard single into center field.
The Titans would answer back in the bottom half of the inning as Missy Taukeiaho would draw a walk later followed by Desiree Ybarra's single down the left field line to bring Taukeiaho around to tie the game at 1 apiece.
Freshman Washington pitched 5 1/3 innings for the Titans, yielding seven hits and one run, while Jasmine Antunez struck out three Gaels in 1 2/3 innings of relief to end the game.
The Saint Mary's offense would sputter with runners in scoring position as 10 Gaels would end up stranded over the bases. Two runners would be stranded in each of the first, second, third and fifth innings.
Fullerton would finally breakthrough in the sixth inning beginning with a leadoff walk to Ybarra. Pinch-runner Jena Rubio would replace Ybarra to add speed to the bases later followed by senior Gabby Aragon's execution of a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner. Samantha Galarza would come up with a timely double down the left field line to score Rubio. The Titans would tack on one more run as Leesa Harris would draw a bases-loaded walk.
Ybarra led CSF batting 2-for-2, with one RBI and one walk as the Titans held on in the morning bout to defeat the Gaels.
Game Two: Cal State Fullerton 4 Texas State 2
Similar to game one, the Titans would surrender early runs, this time at the hands of Texas State in both the first and second innings. Bobcat Timishia North lined a one-out double just beyond the reach of third baseman Taukeiaho leading to Kendall Wiley's single to right field, setting the pace for a 1-0 TSU lead. The Bobcats would tack on one more run in the second inning after a fielder's choice by sophomore Kelli Baker, scoring Alli Akina to extend the lead.
Cal State Fullerton's offense would wake up in the third inning striking for four runs behind a combined effort from Ybarra and Aragon batting 4-for-7 to lead the rally for the Titans.
Fullerton's top of the line-up found ways get on base as Taukeiaho, Tsuchiyama and Aragon would each come around to score one-run apiece.
The four-run third inning would be all the offensive support the Titans would need as TSU starter Kaylee Garner was roughed up in 2 1/3 innings yielding six hits and three earned runs.
Desiree Ybarra would pitch four solid innings in relief for starter Antunez, scattering only two hits and striking out one to down the Bobcats.
The Titans wrap up competition in the SDSU Campbell/Cartier Classic and face South Dakota and California on Saturday in San Diego, Calif., at SDSU Softball Stadium.