FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton (12-14) split their double-header on day one of the Easton Invitational with a win over DePaul (16-9) and a loss to No. 17/18 Ohio State (18-3) on Friday night.
Sophie Frost got the start in game one tonight and yet against she delivered. Recording her fifth straight complete game, the right-hander would collect her fifth win of the season. She finished with three runs allowed on six hits while striking out two.
The offense bounced back nicely in this one putting up six runs, including a 3-run fourth inning. Sammie Vandiver led the way matching her career-high three hits and finishing a home run away from the cycle. Bryanna Ybarra was the other offensive standout going 1-1 with two walks and a career-best four RBI. Brooke Clemetson, Deshea Hill, Ari Williams, and Shianne Brannan also recorded a knock each.
Frost started out the game hot, throwing five shutout innings before giving up a pair in the sixth. Working out of several jams with multiple runners on base, she was cruising through the Blue Demon lineup in this one.
The Titan scoring got started in the third inning thanks to an Ybarra two-RBI single through the left side of the infield. But Fullerton wanted more than just a two-run lead, so they plated three more in the fourth.
After a leadoff double from Brannan, Clemetson would come up with an infield single to score her from third. Vandiver followed that up with a shot into the left-center gap scoring Clemetson easily as the senior left fielder ended up on third with a one-out triple. After a walk and a hit by pitch, Ybarra would work a bases loaded walk to bring in the third run of the inning for Fullerton.
While Frost allowed two in the sixth and one in the seventh, it didn't matter because the offense gave her a comfortable lead as she led the Titans to a 6-3 victory over DePaul.
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Trish Parks got the start for the rematch against Ohio State for the night cap. She would set her season-high with four innings pitched giving up four runs on six hits and four walks. She struck out a pair in her first frame of work. Kenzie Grimes took over for her in the fifth and had another solid outing in relief going three innings giving up two runs on five hits while also striking out two.
The offense struggled a bit in the rematch game as they collected just six hits while scoring two runs. Nobody had multi-hit performances in this one though. Sammie Vandiver would follow up her 3-4 performance with a 1-4 game collecting her third extra base hit of the night with an RBI double. Brooke Clemetson went back to her old self getting on base three times in the contest with a single and two walks. Bryanna Ybarra picked up her first career home run with a lined shot over the left field wall, while Deshea Hill, Sam Kennedy, and Shianne Brannan were the only other Titans to have a knock.
Ohio State got the scoring started early plating a run in the top of the first on an Ashley Goodwin sac fly. They would plate two more in the third and one more in the fourth before Fullerton answered back.
The Titans first run came in the bottom of the fourth courtesy of Ybarra's first career dinger as she lined it over the left field fence for a solo shot. The only other run for CSF came in the fifth on Vandiver's RBI double.
Ohio State would plate two more runs before the ballgame ended handing the Titans a 6-2 loss.
Fullerton will continue play tomorrow as they play another double-header on day two of the Easton Invitational. They'll take on Grand Canyon at 1:00 p.m. and Nebraska at 3:30 p.m.
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