FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton transfer Missy Taukeiaho paced the Titans to their first series victory over rival Long Beach State since 2008 en route to earning Big West Softball Field Player of the Week honors, it was announced by the conference on Monday.
The three Player of the Week accolades tie Taukeiaho for third all-time in Big West history. Former Titan Jenny Topping earned the award four times in 2001 and was a record five-time honoree in the 2003 season.
Taukeiaho batted a whopping .600 (6-for-10) with four runs scored and four RBI to pioneer the offense. Batting from the right side, she collected two doubles, one home run and accounted for nearly half of the Titans' 17 total runs in the series with the 49ers.
The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native hit safely in all three games, recording multiple-hits twice. Her performance translated into a (1.100) slugging percentage and (.667) on-base percentage while drawing two walks.
In Cal State Fullerton's 8-0 Big West run-rule victory over Long Beach State, Taukeiaho batted 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, and three RBI. Her performance at the plate included a two-run blast, tying the infielder for third all-time on the Fullerton single-season list while placing her in a tie for No. 6 on the all-time Big West records.
The third baseman has now gone yard a league high 14 times this season, currently tied for 18th nationally. Taukeiaho also leads the team in batting average (.426), hits (60), doubles (12), runs (46), RBI (38), walks (28), total bases (114), slugging pct. (.809), on-base pct. (.529) and stolen bases (7).
Dominating opposing pitchers, Taukeiaho has raked her way to a four-game hitting streak while reaching base a team-high 21 consecutive times from the leadoff position.
Following the series victory over Long Beach State, the Titans hit the road for a three-game series at Cal Poly. The Titans and Mustangs will meet in a doubleheader on Saturday (Apr. 26) starting at 2 & 4 p.m. and will wrap up the series with a single game on Sunday (Apr. 27) first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. All games will be contested at Bob Janssen Field in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Others nominated: Jillian Anderson (Cal Poly); Taylor Glover (Cal State Northridge); Kelly Zboralske (UC Davis); Stacy Cavazos (UC Santa Barbara); Leisha Li'ili'i (Hawai'i)