April 18, 2010
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA - Cal Poly's Rebecca Patton struck out a career-high seven batters without a walk to earn her third win of the weekend while four different Mustangs drove in runs on Sunday afternoon to help lift the home team to a 5-3 victory and complete a series sweep of visiting Cal State Fullerton at Bob Janssen Field.
The loss dropped the Titans to 9-32 overall and 4-5 in Big West Conference play while Cal Poly took over sole possession of first place in the league standings, moving to 18-17 overall and 7-2 in the Big West.
Patton (6-4) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing just two runs on 11 hits, but stranded eight runners on base - including the bases loaded in the second and third innings and runners in scoring position in the first and fourth frames. Helen Pena entered in the sixth and earned her second career save despite allowing a run on two hits over the final 1 2/3 innings.
Fullerton junior Ari Cervantes (4-16) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on six hits and walking three in three innings. Redshirt sophomore Krystal Heinle then entered in relief in the fourth, allowing one run on three hits over the finale three frames to keep her side in the contest.
A two-run double by Krysten Cary and an RBI double by Stephanie Corriea sparked a three-run first inning while an RBI triple by Kendal Hennings in the second and a single by Shea Williams in the fifth gave Cal Poly an insurmountable 5-0 lead.
The Titans, who outhit the Mustangs by a 13-9 count on the day, finally responded in the sixth to close the gap. Back-to-back hits by junior K.C. Craddick (a single) and freshman Gabby Aragon (a double) put a pair on for Kadie Baldwin, who singled back up the middle to drive home both runs and make it 5-2.
A hard line out by pinch hitter Sarah Hahn knocked Patton from the game in favor of Pena, who worked away from any further danger by getting a fly out and a strikeout to leave a runner in scoring position.
Fullerton then scratched together another run in the seventh on a two-out RBI single by Craddick, who finished 3-for-4 on the day, but a ground ball to short ended the game.
Craddick was one of four Titans with multiple hits on the day, joined by Morgan LeMond (2-for-4), Heinle (2-for-4), Aragon (2-for-4), and Baldwin (2-for-3).
Hennings (2-for-4), Cary (2-for-3), and Williams (2-for-3) all finished with multiple hits for the Mustangs.
After dropping their second straight series in conference play, Cal State Fullerton will look to rebound next weekend with a three-game series at Anderson Family Field against UC Davis. Saturday's doubleheader begins at 12 p.m. and will be part of the Titans' second-annual "Power in Pink" Day to promote breast cancer awareness. Sunday's single game finale will also begin at noon.