Cal State Fullerton vs. Yale - 4 p.m.
Cal State Fullerton vs. Princeton - 6 p.m.
Location: Fullerton, Calif.
Venue: Anderson Family Field
Live Stats vs. Yale: FullertonTitans.com
Live Stats vs. Princeton: FullertonTitans.com
Live Audio vs. Yale: Fullerton Titans.com
Live Audio vs. Princeton: Fullerton Titans.com
Video Stream: FullertonTitans.com
Series Record vs. Yale: First Meeting
Series Record vs. Princeton: Series Tied 1-1
A LOOK AT THE WEEK
Cal State Fullerton is riding a five-game winning streak and looks to make it seven when it welcomes Yale and Princeton to Anderson Family Field on Tuesday at 4 p.m., and 6 p.m., respectively.
The meeting with Yale is the first in program history, while Cal State Fullerton and Princeton are tied 1-1 in the all-time series. The Titans and the Tigers recently faced off at the Louisville Slugger Invitational, hosted by Long Beach State, over the weekend. In that tournament, Fullerton defeated Princeton, 4-0.
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME
Cal State Fullerton students receive free admission to Titan home games with their Titan I.D. card.
For all pricing and additional ticket information, please click HERE.
FOLLOW THE TITANS
Fans can keep up with the latest in Cal State Fullerton athletics by following us on Facebook (FullertonTitans), Twitter (@FullertonTitans) and Instagram (FullertonTitans). In addition, the softball team has established its own official Facebook (csufsoftball), Twitter (@CSUFSoftball) and Instagram (csufsoftball) accounts.
KEEP UP WITH TITAN SOFTBALL
Live stats will be provided for all games this weekend. To access live stats for the games, log onto www.FullertonTitans.com and go to the softball schedule then click live stats.
WATCH THE TITANS
Cal State Fullerton home softball contests will be broadcast live over the Internet at FullertonTitans.com. The Titans also offer live streaming video for home softball contests over the Internet courtesy of Big West.TV. Fans can catch all the exclusive action from the comfort of their home computers. To access the links, click on the audio or live video link on the schedule page.
RECAPPING THE LOUISVILLE SLUGGER INVITATIONAL
The Titans went 5-0 at the Louisville Slugger Invitational hosted by Long Beach State as they defeated Utah Valley (9-2), Princeton (4-0), Iowa State (2-1) and Mississippi State on two occasions by scores of 2-0 and 3-2.
During the tournament, Cal State Fullerton outscored its opponents 20-5 as the Titans received a strong offensive showing as well as several strong pitching performances hightlighted by a pair of victories by Desiree Ybarra who went on to earn Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week honors for her efforts.
LAST TIME OUT
Cal State Fullerton did not waste any time scoring in its game against Mississippi State as the Titans posted the first run of the game in the bottom of the second on a squeeze play.
Senior first baseman Melissa Sechrest led of the frame and took first on a hit by pitch and Ariana Williams came in to pinch run. After an infield single by Courtney Rodriguez moved Williams to second, Sydney Colenzo laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners.
With runners at second and third with one out, Shianne Brannan executed a perfectly placed bunt for the successful squeeze play that scored Williams from third.
Leading 1-0, Cal State Fullerton's freshman right-hander Sydney Golden (9-2) hit a bump in the road and allowed a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings, respectively, as the Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead.
Golden regained her composure and did not allow another run for the rest of the game. She pitched a complete game a came away with her ninth victory of the year after the Titans tied the game in the fifth and plated the eventual game-winning run in the sixth.
In the Titans' half of the fifth inning, Delynn Rippy led off the frame with an infield single and Samantha Vandiver moved her into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Alexis Gonzalez came to the plate with two outs and hit a base hit up the middle, which scored Rippy to tie the game, 2-2.
Cal State Fullerton came back out in the sixth and took advantage of a hit by pitch and an error as Colenzo drove in Desiree Ybarra for the eventual game-winning run.
With a 3-2 edge, Golden came back out in the seventh and retired the side to collect the win and help the Titans to their fifth-straight victory.
Golden finished the game surrendering two runs on seven hits, while striking out two in 7.0 innings.
Mississippi State utilized three pitchers in Regan Green, Mackenzie Toler and Holly Ward.
Green pitched 3.0 innings and allowed one run on two hits with two strikeout and one walk, while Toler saw just 1.0 inning of action and surrendered just one hit.
Ward (8-2) suffered the loss after allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with one strikeout in 2.0 innings of work.
IN THE POLLS
Although the Titans are not facing ranked opponents in Yale and Princeton, the Titans will have their share of Top 25 counterparts this season.
Remaining ranked teams on the Titans' schedule include No. 4 Alabama, No. 13 UCLA, No. 14 Oklahoma, and No. 22 Fresno State.
100 AND COUNTING
Head coach Kelly Ford recorded her 100th win at the helm of the Cal State Fullerton softball program against Santa Clara on Feb. 19. Ford now owns 113 victories and looks to finish off the Ivy League doubleheader with 115.
GOOD AS GOLD
Despite a hiccup against No. 11 Florida State, freshman right-hander Sydney Golden continues to perform well in the circle as she boasts a 9-2 record on the year. She has pitched four complete games and one shutout in 14 appearances. Her nine wins are good for second in the Big West Conference. The Riverside, Calif., native owns a 2.55 ERA, which ranks fourth in the conference.
BWC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Senior left-handed pitcher Desiree Ybarra was named Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week for the first time this season after recording two wins over the weekend at the Louisville Slugger Invitational in which Cal State Fullerton went 5-0.
Ybarra was masterful over the weekend as she did not allow an earned run over four appearances in 15.1 innings of work.
The product out of Riverside, Calif., dominated Mississippi State, which was receiving votes in the national poll, in a 2-0 shutout on Saturday. Ybarra went the distance and yielded just four hits, three walks and struck out three.
She picked up her second victory of the tournament in Sunday's 2-1 triumph over Iowa State. Ybarra came on in relief and pitched 5.2 innings of scoreless softball, scattering two hits, without allowing a walk and fanning four.
Ybarra also made a pair of relief appearances during the week to bring her strikeout total to 10.
In addition to her dominance in the circle, Ybarra also scored a run for the Titans after making a pinch hit appearance against Mississippi State on Sunday. In that at bat, she was hit by a pitch and came around to score the game-winning run to cap the Titans' 5-0 weekend.
Ybarra was named BWC Pitcher of the Week along with Long Beach State's first baseman Julia Lombardi who was named Player of the Week.
STOP! THIEF!
Senior centerfielder Courtney Rodriguez has been swift on the base paths this season as she has stolen 11 bases in 12 attempts thus far. Rodriguez is ranked fourth in the Big West Conference with nearly one dozen swipes on the year.
GONE-ZALEZ
Junior catcher Alexis Gonzalez leads the Titans with three home runs on the year. She belted two homers in one day at the Santa Clara Bronco Classic against Seattle and Santa Clara on Feb. 21 and helped lead Cal State Fullerton to a 6-5 victory over North Carolina with her third home run of the season on March 6.
DOUBLE VISION
This season, the Titans' defense has turned six double plays. Three of those came in Fullerton's 10-0 win over Santa Clara. Their six DP's rank fourth in the Big West Conference.
PERFECTION IN THE FIELD
Senior first baseman Melissa Sechrest is about as sure-handed as an infielder can be, posting a 1.000 fielding percentage over her 25 games. The ball has certainly found her as she has 180 total chances, resulting in 170 putouts and 10 assists. She has also helped turn six double plays on the year.
MARCH MADNESS
During the month of March, Cal State Fullerton has boasted a record of 9-2. The Titans only two losses during the month have come against No. 11 Florida State and Wisconsin.
THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM
Cal State Fullerton has made the most of scoring early in games. When the Titans score first, they are 16-1 on the year. Additionally, Fullerton is 8-0 when it scores in the first inning. Fullerton has scored the majority of its runs in the first this season.
THE POINT OF NO RETURN
After 26 games played, Cal State Fullerton is undefeated when leading after the fifth inning. The Titans have won 10 of their 18 victories holding onto a lead after the fifth inning.
RETURN OF THE ALL-AMERICAN
Three-time All-American Missy Taukeiaho was selected as one of 50 student-athletes on the "Watch List" for the 2016 USA Collegiate Softball Player of the Year award. The is the second straight year she has been selected to the "Watch List."
This season the senior third baseman is leading the Titans with a .380 batting average and a .595 slugging percentage. She has scored 17 runs, drove in 11, roped 12 doubles, ripped one triple and belted one homer, while drawing 15 walks on the season.
GOOD IN PRESSURE SITUATIONS
As a team, Cal State Fullerton is hitting .412 with the bases loaded. The Titans are 14-for-34 this season with bases full. Brooke Clemetson, Sydney Colenzo and Alexis Gonzalez are batting 1.000 in the situation as Clemetson and Colenzo are 1-for-1 and Gonzalez is 2-for-2. Melissa Sechrest is 2-for-3 (.667) when the bases are full of Titans and Shianne Brannan, Samantha Vandiver and Ariana Williams are all hitting .500 with ducks on the pond.
WALK THIS WAY
Missy Taukeiaho and Alexis Gonzalez are leading the Titans in walks this season. The duo have combined for 28 walks on the year as Taukeiaho leads the squad with 15 and Gonzalez has drawn 13 walks. Taukeiaho's 15 walks ranks her second in the Big West, while Gonzalez is tied for fourth.
DOUBLE DOUBLE
Missy Taukeiaho leads both Cal State Fullerton and the Big West Conference with 12cdoubles on the year. Taukeiaho roped three doubles in one game earlier this season against UT-San Antonio in the season opener on Feb. 12. Hot on Taukeiaho heels with nine doubles is Sarah Moore. As a team, the Titans have recorded 41 doubles which leads the Big West Conference.
GET 'EM ON, GET 'EM OVER, GET 'EM IN
The Titans are hitting .506 (222-for-439) when successfully advancing runners on the base paths. Leading the way offensively in this situation is Courtney Rodriguez who is 36-for-55 (.655), while Alexis Gonzalez is batting .618 (21-for-34).
NO RELATION
The Titans have a pair of Ybarra's on the team in senior left-handed pitcher Desiree Ybarra and sophomore infielder Bryanna Ybarra. Desiree sports jersey No. 15, while Bryanna wears No. 16. With the same last name and consecutive jersey numbers, you'd think the duo are sisters - they're not.
ON DECK
Following the Ivy League mid-week doubleheader, the Titan welcome some of the top teams in the nation in Alabama, Arkansas, DePaul, Grand Canyon, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and UNLV to Fullerton, Calif., for the Easton Tournament. The tournament will run from Thursday, March 17 - Sunday, March 20.
Cal State Fullerton will play Alabama Thursday at 5:30 p.m., before taking on Oklahoma on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Saturday will pit Fullerton against Arkansas at 6:30 p.m., while Sunday the Titans will close out the tournament against New Mexico at 12:30 p.m.