LONG BEACH, Calif. - Cal State Fullerton (27-15, 7-2 BWC) put up six runs in the sixth inning for a 9-6 victory in the series finale against Long Beach State (17-21, 4-5 BWC) on Sunday afternoon. It marks the 10th straight conference series win for the Titans and their 21st Big West series win in their last 24 outings.
Sophie Frost got the start for the rubber match, but struggled only recording two outs while giving up three runs on three hits and three walks. Dani Martinez would come out of the pen to shut down the Long Beach offense limiting the damage to three.
From there, Martinez was dealing retiring the first 12 Long Beach hitters before surrendering her first hit.
Offensively, the Titans started off cold but got the bats going in the fourth as Julia Valenzuela connected on an RBI double to bring in the first Fullerton run of the game.
Trailing by two going into the fifth inning, Ari Williams drew a one-out walk to bring the tying run to the plate. Deshea Hill would follow up with her fifth home run of the season to dead center and tie the game up at three runs apiece.
Martinez would struggle to finish the 49ers in the bottom half as Long Beach came up with a pair of runs on three hits and an error forcing Fullerton to go back to the bullpen. Taylor Dockins would enter the game and give up an RBI single before getting a popout to end the inning.
Facing another three-run deficit, the Titan offense exploded for six in the top of the sixth inning. The first run came in on a bases loaded walk to Alexa Neil followed by a bases clearing triple from Williams to give Fullerton the lead.
Hill would step to the plate next and launch an RBI double to right-center giving the Titans a two-run lead. The inning would not end there though as a walk and a single would load the bases for Irie Siofele, who would draw the fourth walk of the inning and give Fullerton a three-run lead.
Long Beach would get runners on the corners against Dockins in the bottom of the sixth, but she worked out of it unscathed. She would get through the seventh with three straight groundouts to first base securing the 9-6 victory for the Titans.
TOP PERFORMERS
Deshea Hill: 3-for-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI
Ari Williams: 1-for-4, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB, 2 SB
Julia Valenzuela: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R, BB
Sophie Frost: 0.2 IP, 3H, 3ER, 3BB
Dani Martinez: 4 IP, 3H, 3R (0ER), 2BB, 2K
Taylor Dockins (W, 4-5): 2.1 IP, 3H, 0R
Cal State Fullerton is back home next weekend for a three-game series with Hawaii. It is sure to be a big weekend as Hawaii currently sits atop the Big West standings with the Titans just one game behind.
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