April 26, 2009
LONG BEACH, CA - Cal State Fullerton sophomore righthander Ari Cervantes tossed a three-hit shutout and senior Lauren Lupinetti's second-inning home run proved to be the game-winner as the Titans moved into sole possession of second place in the Big West Conference thanks to a 2-0 shutout of host Long Beach State on Sunday afternoon at the 49er Softball Complex.
Fullerton salvaged the final game of the series in improving to 23-19 overall and 11-4 in league play, trailing league-leading Cal Poly by two games with six to play. The 49ers fell to 29-18 overall and 10-5 in Big West play.
Cervantes (16-10) notched her fifth shutout of the season, allowing just two singles and a double on the day and stranding eight 49ers on base - six in scoring position. She also walked four and struck out four in the complete-game effort.
Brooke Turner (16-10) suffered the loss, allowing the two runs on six hits, walking a pair and striking out nine in a losing effort.
Cal State Fullerton struck first against starter Turner as the long ball put the Titans on the board for the second straight contest. Senior Lauren Lupinetti slugged her third home run of the season over the wall in left field with one out to give the Titans the 1-0 lead.
Turner would then retire nine straight until Fullerton was able to tack on another run in the fifth as back-to-back one-out singles by Courtney Martinez and Kadie Baldwin put a pair on for Samantha Dollarhide, who dropped a single into right centerfield enough to score Martinez, who jumped around the Long Beach State catcher and reached back to touch the plate and make it 2-0.
The Titans would keep the pressure on, loading the bases on a two-out walk to Torrie Anderson, but Turner worked out of the jam by getting a ground ball to third to end the inning.
Cervantes would then silence the 49ers bats, going the final 3 2/3 innings without allowing a hit, walking a pair and hitting a batter in that stretch, while retiring the final six straight Long Beach hitters to close out the game.
Martinez and Dollarhide each had two hits on the day to pace the Fullerton offense as the 5-8 hitters in the lineup accounted for all six of the team's hits.
Cal State Fullerton closes out its home schedule next weekend as the Titans host Cal State Northridge in a three-game series at Anderson Family Field. The two teams open with a doubleheader on Saturday (May 2) at 12 p.m. before closing out the series with a single game on Sunday (May 3), also at 12 p.m.
The Titans' senior class of Lauren Lupinetti, Courtney Martinez, and Whitney Kroh will be honored in a pregame ceremony prior to Sunday's first pitch.