Game 45
San Diego vs. Cal State Fullerton
Date: Tuesday, April 19
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Fullerton, Calif.
Venue: Anderson Family Field
Live Stats: FullertonTitans.com
Video: FullertonTitans.com
Audio: FullertonTitans.com
Series Record: Cal State Fullerton leads 8-2
Tickets: FullertonTitans.com/Tickets
A LOOK AT THE WEEK
Cal State Fullerton welcomes San Diego to Anderson Family Field for a midweek, non-conference contest on Tuesday, April 19 at 5 p.m. The Titans are riding a nine-game winning streak and have won 14 of their last 15 games.
Following Tuesday's game, Cal State Fullerton heads to Hawai'i to go head-to-head with the Rainbow Wahine in a three-game series beginning Friday, April 22 at 6 p.m. and concluding Saturday, April 23 with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
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 week. 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.
Saturday's doubleheader will be televised live on ESPN3 with Trent Schlom and Jen Schroeder on the call.
TITANS VS. TOREROS
The Titans and the Toreros have been facing off on the diamond since 1981 and Cal State Fullerton leads the all-time series 8-2. CSF won the first six meetings from 1981 until 2002, when San Diego edged Cal State Fullerton 2-1 at Anderson Family Field. The Titans went on to defeat the Toreros twice more before dropping a 3-2 contest a year ago in San Diego, Calif.
LAST TIME OUT
The nightcap saw the Titans plate the first run of the game in the bottom of the first only to have the Aggies even the score in the top of the second. However, Cal State Fullerton added two more runs in the bottom of the frame on a two-run homer by Shianne Brannan that would prove to be the eventual game-winning hit. The roundtripper marked the first home run of the year for Brannan and just the second in her collegiate career.
Cal State Fullerton added three more runs in the third inning on a two-run homer by Missy Taukeiaho followed by an RBI-single from Kylie Padilla.
Despite giving up two early runs, freshman right-handed pitcher Sydney Golden (14-3) settled down and kept the Aggies off the board for the remainder of the game.
Golden found herself in a jam in the fifth as the Aggies loaded the bases with just one out, but she kept her composure and got out of the inning without allowing a run.
The Titans added another run in the fifth and a subsequent run in the sixth as they jump out in front 8-2 to give Golden a little more run support. Meanwhile, Golden did her job in the circle as she pitched 7.0 innings of work allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits, while walking two and striking out five.
UC Davis' starter Andrea Reynolds (5-10) lasted 2.0+ innings after allowing five runs on as many hits. Reliever Sara Cadona pitched the final 4.0 innings of work and surrendered three runs on five hits with two walks and one strikeout.
Taukeiaho finished the game batting 1-for-2 with a home run, a walk, two runs scored and three RBIs. Padilla was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs batted in, while Brannan was 1-for-3 with a home run, a run scored and two RBIs.
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 129 victories and looks to finish off the weekend with 133.
HOT START
The Titans have opened Big West Conference play with a 9-0 record marking their best start to league action since 2003 when Cal State Fullerton went 10-0. In that year, the Titans finished league play with a 20-1 record and hosted the NCAA Regionals.
WALK THIS WAY
Missy Taukeiaho is leading the Titans in walks this season as she has drawn 30 bases on balls which lead both Cal State Fullerton and the Big West Conference. She is tops in both the conference and on the Titans by six.
GOOD AS GOLD
Freshman right-hander Sydney Golden boasts an 14-3 record on the year to rank second in the Big West in wins. She has pitched six complete games and one shutout in 22 appearances. The Riverside, Calif., native owns a 1.78 ERA, which also ranks third in the conference.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
Desiree Ybarra has set the tone in the circle for the Titans' pitching staff as the senior left-hander owns a 1.76 ERA in 27 appearances with 18 starts. The Riverside, Calif., native has collected 11 wins, nine complete games, three shutouts, one save and 105 strike outs this season. Additionally, she has allowed just 49 walks and 95 hits in 115.1 innings of work.
Ybarra is second in the Big West in ERA (1.76) and third in opponent batting average (.222).
STOP! THIEF!
Cal State Fullerton has a trio of runners who have been hot on the base paths and posting double figures in stolen bases. Ariana Williams leads the squad with 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts and Courtney Rodriguez is second on the team with 14 steals in 18 attempts. Following close behind is Delynn Rippy with 11 steals on 13 attempts. The trio account for 41 of the Titans' 68 stolen bases (just over 60 percent).
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
In addition to leading the conference in the Big West standings with a perfect 9-0 record, the Titans have done a solid job offensively this season as they are leading the Big West Conference in 10 offensive categories. Cal State Fullerton sits atop the league in slugging percentage (.439), on-base percentage (.393), runs scored (235), RBIs (195), doubles (68), triples (11), total bases (503), total plate appearances (1364), walks (146) and sacrifice flies (14).
IN THE CIRCLE
The Titans have also seen strong pitching this season as well. CSF leads the Big West in ERA (2.12), opponent batting average (.232), wins (34), fewest runs allowed (114), fewest earned runs allowed (89), fewest doubles allowed (34), fewest home runs allowed (14).
HOME RUN TERRITORY
The Titans have launched 19 long balls on the year and 13 of them have come from the bat of Alexis Gonzalez and Missy Taukeiaho. Gonzalez leads Cal State Fullerton with seven, while Taukeiaho has contributed six. Melissa Sechrest has belted three, while Desiree Ybarra, Sarah Moore and Shianne Brannan have each recorded one apiece.
During the series against UC Davis, the Titans hit four home runs in three games as Gonzalez, Sechrest, Brannan and Taukieaho all got a hold of one.
IN GRAND FASHION
Senior third baseman Missy Taukeiaho belted a grand slam - her first of the season - against UC Riverside on Sunday. The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native stepped to the plate with bases loaded, two outs and drilled a 3-2 pitch over the left-centerfield wall to give the Titans a 9-2 lead over the Highlanders. Cal State Fullerton would go on to win 12-2 in five innings and Taukeiaho would be named Big West Conference Player of the Week for her efforts.
RIPPY RIPS A PAIR OF TRIPLES
In the series opener agaisnt UC Davis, Delynn Rippy recorded a pair of triples to help lift the Titans over the Aggies 6-1. Rippy has now recorded a team-leading five triples on the year which also leads the Big West Conference and ranks her eighth in the nation.
DOUBLE VISION
This season, the Titans' defense has turned 12 double plays. Three of those came in Fullerton's 10-0 win over Santa Clara, while two came in a mid-week contest versus Princeton. Their 12 DP's rank tied for fourth in the Big West Conference.
MONTHLY SUCCESS
During the month of March, Cal State Fullerton boasted a record of 16-4 which is an .800 winning percentage. Three of the Titans' four losses came to nationally-ranked opponents.
Now that April has begun, the Titans have continued their tear as they are a perfect 9-0 this month.
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 29-2 on the year. Additionally, Fullerton is 18-1 when it scores in the first inning.
CSF has scored the majority of its runs in the first this season, plating 50 in the opening frame, while limiting their opponents to just 16.
THE POINT OF NO RETURN
After 44 games played, Cal State Fullerton is undefeated when leading after the fifth inning. The Titans have won 24 of their 34 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 leads the team with a .389 batting average and has scored 39 runs, drove in 29, roped 20 doubles, ripped one triple and belted six homers, while drawing 30 walks on the season. She also leads the team with a .706 slugging percentage and a .513 on-base percentage. Her 20 doubles and 30 walks lead both Cal State Fullerton and the Big West Conference.
GET 'EM ON, GET 'EM OVER, GET 'EM IN
The Titans are hitting .512 (377-for-736) when successfully advancing runners on the base paths. Leading the way offensively in this situation is Alexis Gonzalez who is 45-for-72 (.625). Additionally Cal State Fullerton is batting .470 (63-for-134) with a runner at third with less than two outs. Again, Gonzalez has been most effective in this situation as she boasts a .667 batting average (8-for-12) with a runner at third and less than two outs.
ANY GIVEN SUNDAY
The Titans have had their most success when playing on Sunday as the squad is undefeated when playing on that day of the week. Cal State Fullerton owns a 9-0 record when taking the field on a Sunday.
DOUBLE DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE
Missy Taukeiaho leads both Cal State Fullerton and the Big West Conference with 20 doubles on the year. Taukeiaho roped three doubles in one game earlier this season against UT-San Antonio in the season opener on Feb. 12. Behind Taukeiaho with 13 doubles is Sarah Moore. As a team, the Titans have recorded 68 doubles which leads the Big West Conference.
BWC STATISTICAL CATEGORIES
Cal State Fullerton ranks in the top two in each statistical category (pitching, hitting and fielding) in the Big West Conference. The Titans lead the league in earned run average with a 2.12 team ERA. Additionally, CSF is second in fielding percentage with a .967 mark and second in batting average with a .311 clip.
UNDEFEATED WHEN...
This season, the Titans are undefeated in several situations. The breakdown is as follows:
In Big West Conference games (9-0)
In road games (6-0)
In two-run games (7-0)
When scoring 10+ runs (3-0)
When leading after the fifth inning (24-0)
When hitting 2+ HRs in a game (3-0)
In the month of April (9-0)
When playing on Sunday (9-0)
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 pair are sisters - they're not.
ON DECK
Cal State Fullerton resumes conference action with a trip to Hawai'i on Friday, April 22 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 23 in a doubleheader that starts at 2 p.m.