April 18, 2009
Box Score - Game One | Box Score - Game Two
FULLERTON, CA - Cal State Fullerton sophomore Torrie Anderson homered twice and drove in six runs on the day to help lift the host Titans to a doubleheader sweep of Pacific by the scores of 4-0 in nine innings and 4-3 in game two on Saturday afternoon at Anderson Family Field.
The wins pushed Fullerton's winning streak to a season-high six games - the longest for the Titans (21-17 overall, 9-2 in Big West play) since they won eight straight from March 27-April 14, 2007. The Tigers fell to 16-26 overall and 1-10 in league play.
The two teams will conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday afternoon (April 19) at 12 p.m. at Anderson Family Field.
GAME 1: CAL STATE FULLERTON 4, PACIFIC 0 (9 inn.)
Anderson's walk-off grand slam with one out in the bottom of the ninth broke up a scoreless pitcher's duel as the Titans posted the 4-0 extra-inning victory in the opener.
Sophomore K.C. Craddick singled to lead off the inning and pinch-runner Sammie Dabbs beat a throw to second base on Samantha Dollarhide's sac attempt to put a pair on. Ari Cervantes helped her own cause with an infield single to load the bases, but the Tigers got the first out of the inning at the plate on Trina Harrison's fielder's choice.
That brought up Anderson, who sent the first pitch from Chelsea Engle (7-11) over the wall in left field for her eighth home run of the season to end the game.
Sophomore Ari Cervantes (14-9) went the distance, scattering eight hits and striking out five in posting her fourth shutout of the season. Engle posted zeroes through the first eight innings, stranding eight Titans on base until the ninth - six of those in scoring position.
Pacific left the bases loaded twice in the second and sixth innings and the go-ahead runner on third in the eighth. The Tigers stranded 11 on base for the game - seven in scoring position.
Anderson, Cervantes, and Morgan LeMond each finished with two hits on the day to lead the Fullerton offense while Lindsey Pierce and Lauren Weyman finished with a pair of hits each to pace Pacific.
GAME 2: CAL STATE FULLERTON 4, PACIFIC 3
Junior Francesca Gonzales' eighth home run of the year, a solo shot to left centerfield in the sixth, broke a 3-3 tie and helped lift the Titans to the 4-3 victory in the nightcap.
Anderson slugged her ninth home run of the year in the fifth - this one a two-run shot - that erased a 2-1 deficit and gave the Titans a 3-2 advantage. Pacific responded with a run in the sixth to tie the game on Casey Goldsand's RBI groundout, but Gonzales sent a 1-1 offering from Gabby McDaniel over the wall with one out for the eventual game-winner.
Freshman Krystal Heinle (7-6) earned the complete-game victory, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and striking out five. McDaniel (2-9) suffered the loss, allowing all four runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. Heidi Helberg threw one pitch and got a ground ball out to end the sixth in relief.
The Titans struck first with a run in the third as Anderson walked with two outs and came all the way around to score on K.C. Craddick's sun double to left to make it 1-0.
Pacific responded to take the lead with a pair in the fifth as a fielder's choice and a single put two on for Nicole Matson, who singled to centerfield to tie the game. After a walk to Kellee Wilson loaded the bases, Briana Santos send a ground ball to second base that was misplayed, allowing pinch-runner Brittany Hendrickson to cross the plate and make it 2-1.
Senior Courtney Martinez added a single in the fifth for the Titans to account for the team's hits while five different Tigers had base hits for Pacific.
ED. NOTES: Cal State Fullerton's offense has now hit a home run in each of the last five games... Senior Whitney Kroh, who missed all of last season due to injury, had a base hit in game one of the series - her first since since finishing 1-for-3 against Pacific on April 21, 2007.