SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton (31-21, 16-1 BWC) absolutely dominated thanks to a couple of fantastic pitching performances as they won both games against Cal Poly (23-23, 7-10 BWC) on Saturday.
Sophie Frost got the nod in game one and threw arguably her best game of the season. Going the distance once again, the sophomore right-hander allowed just two baserunners in her seven innings of work while striking out two. It marks her 15th complete game of the season and fifth shutout.
Brooke Clemetson and Deshea Hill led the offense each going 2-3 at the plate. Clemetson swiped two bases giving her 31 stolen bases for the season as well. Julia Valenzuela had the big hit of the ballgame though with a three-run triple as she went 1-2 at the dish. Zoe Richard went 1-4 at the plate while Shianne Brannan and Sam Kennedy each went 1-3. Irie Siofele was the final Titan to record a hit with a double in the seventh inning.
Game one was a pitcher's duel for sure as both teams could not bring anything across until Fullerton scored in the sixth inning. In fact, Cal Poly only had two baserunners neither of which even reached second base. The first of those came in the third inning after Frost retired the first eight Mustang hitters of the ballgame.
For Fullerton, they scattered hits throughout the first five innings before cashing in some runs. Those runs came on swing of the bat in the sixth inning thanks to Valenzuela. After three straight singles, the sophomore came to the plate with the bases loaded and two down, but split the right-center gap. She ended up on third with a 3-RBI triple thus providing all of the offense in this one.
That was more than enough support for Frost as she continued to deal shutting down the Mustangs in order to end the ballgame.
The victory is the first shutout for the Titans since shutting out UC Santa Barbara on March 31.
Trish Parks started game number two at Bob Janssen Field and picked up right where Frost left off. Recording her first complete game shutout of the season, Parks threw seven innings allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out three. The junior had a no-hit bid through 3.1 innings before an infield single ended it.
At the plate, Zoe Richard led the way going 3-3 with a run scored. Ari Williams and Deshea Hill each recorded 1-4 performances at the dish while Bryanna Ybarra and Julia Valenzuela each went 1-3. Sam Kennedy and Mikaela Francis each had an RBI in the victory.
Fullerton didn't wait to get on the board this time around scoring a pair of runs in the second after a scoreless first. Ybarra got the inning started with a single, followed by another single from Richard. Brannan would lay down a sac bunt to move them both up. Squeeze play was on for Kennedy and she got the bunt down nicely. The flip to the plate skipped away from the catcher allowing both Ybarra and Richard to score.
In the fifth, Valenzuela would lead off with a single and take advantage of a sleeping Mustang defense to steal second. She would eventually come around to score thanks to an RBI single from Williams.
The Titans would get another in the sixth thanks to pinch hitter Mikaela Francis, who came through with a sac fly into left field. She now has four RBI in her last two plate appearances as a pinch hitter.
That was all of the scoring for Fullerton, but that was plenty in the Trish Parks show. It's the first time the Titans have picked up back-to-back shutouts since the double-header against CSU Bakersfield on March 20.
Fullerton will wrap up the series, looking for the sweep tomorrow afternoon. First pitch at Bob Janssen Field will be at 1:00 p.m.
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