RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Cal State Fullerton (38-16, 18-3 Big West) topped UC Riverside (26-25, 8-13 Big West) by the score of 7-2 in the season finale. It is the second consecutive sweep for the Titans as they end the regular season on a seven-game win streak.
Taylor Dockins got the start in the circle and was dominant throwing six shutout innings allowing five hits and a pair of walks while striking out two before being pulled. However, she would reenter the game in the seventh and record the final two outs to secure her own victory. The sophomore right-hander has only allowed two runs in her last 19.2 innings of work.
After a pair of scoreless frames for both sides to start the game, Fullerton got the scoring started with four runs in the third. Kelsie Whitmore got the rally started with a single, then stole second, before coming in to score on an Alexa Neil single. Ari Williams would follow Neil's single with one of her own extending her on-base streak to 21 straight games as she became the first Titan to reach base in every Big West Conference game since Gina Oaks in 2002.
Ari continues to leave her legacy.
— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) May 11, 2019
With an infield single here in the third means she has now reached base in EVERY conference game this season! That has not been done since 2002 #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/XEErnx24x8
Zoe Richard would come up a few batters later with the bases loaded and rope a double into left-center to drive in two more runs. The Titans would tack on their fourth run of the inning on a sac fly from Irieanna Siofele.
Fullerton was held in check in the fourth, but put up three more runs in the fifth on a three-run home run from Daisy Munoz. She continues to lead the team, now with eight bombs in her rookie campaign. The program record by a freshman is held by the legendary Sue Lewis who hit 10 back in 1981.
Dockins continued to hold the Highlanders in check retiring eight of the last nine batters she faced before handing it off to Katie Neary in the seventh. However, the junior would struggle as UC Riverside would load the bases and get a run on a walk leading to another pitching change.
The Highlanders would end up plating two runs in the bottom of the seventh before Dockins reentered the game and shut it down to secure the 7-2 victory.
Cal State Fullerton will host a Selection Show watch party tomorrow night at Roscoe's in downtown Fullerton as they will find out where they will be making their 29th Regional appearance.
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