May 2, 2009
Box Score - Game 1 | Box Score - Game 2
FULLERTON, CA - Sophomore Torrie Anderson finished with four hits on the day and senior Lauren Lupinetti homered and drove in three as host Cal State Fullerton swept a doubleheader from visiting Cal State Northridge by the scores of 8-2 and 4-3 on Saturday afternoon at Anderson Family Field.
With the victories, the Titans improved to 25-19 overall and 13-4 in the Big West Conference, winning their fifth league series in six tries. Coupled with league-leading Cal Poly's split with Pacific on the day, Fullerton moved to within a single game of the Mustangs in the standings and moved two games ahead of third-place Long Beach State after the 49ers dropped their opener to UC Riverside.
The Matadors fell to 27-19 overall and 7-10 in Big West play.
The two teams conclude their three game series on Sunday afternoon (May 3) at 12 p.m. Fullerton's senior class will be honored as part of "Senior Day" festivities prior to first pitch beginning at approximately 11:45 a.m.
GAME 1: CAL STATE FULLERTON 8, CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 2
Cal State Fullerton sent 13 batters to the plate as part of an eight-run third inning as the host Titans eased to an 8-2 victory in the day's first game.
Five different Fullerton batters drove home runs and six players tallied base hits - accounting for all of the team's offense in the big inning.
A sacrifice fly by Lauren Olivas in the second got Cal State Northridge on the board first, but the Titans opened the floodgates in the third as sophomore Torrie Anderson's two-run single to center gave Fullerton the 2-1 lead and was followed by K.C. Craddick's RBI double to left for the two-run advantage.
A walk and an error extended the inning as Trina Harrison reached on an infield hit to the left side with the bases loaded, driving home Craddick to make it 4-1. Junior Kadie Baldwin was hit by a pitch in the very next at bat to drive home another and chase starter Hannah Fraijo (7-3) from the game.
Another error in the inning on a ground ball that would have ended the inning allowed another run to come home and pitcher Ari Cervantes helped her own cause, looping a two-run single down the left field line for the 8-1 advantage.
The Matadors added a single run in the fourth on a throwing error with two outs, but could not muster any more offense as Northridge stranded seven runners on base for the game - five of those in scoring position.
Cervantes (17-10) went the distance for the 25th time in 25 starts this season, allowing two runs (one earned) on nine hits while striking out six. Fraijo allowed eight runs (three earned) on five hits in 2 2/3 innings of work. Amanda Pitzenberger pitched well in relief, allowing just one hit in 3 1/3 innings of relief.
The Matadors' Jaclyn Rymer and Tracy Allen had a pair of hits each to lead all players.
GAME 2: CAL STATE FULLERTON 4, CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 3
Senior Lauren Lupinetti homered and drove home three runs on the day while freshman righthander Krystal Heinle tossed a three-hitter as Cal State Fullerton swept Saturday's doubleheader with a 4-3 victory in the nightcap.
Sophomore Torrie Anderson finished with three hits to lead all players as the Titans banged out 10 hits for the game. Junior Sheila Holguin also added a pair of hits for Fullerton.
Lupinetti's third home run of the season in the bottom of the first got the Titans on the board quickly while Holguin added an RBI double later in the frame to score Francesca Gonzales for the 3-0 lead.
Northridge got two of the runs back in the fourth thanks to a two-run shot by Micah Putnam (her fifth of the season) to make it a one-run game, but Cal State Fullerton added an all-important insurance run in the fifth on a run-scoring double by Lupinetti that was the difference in the ball game.
The Matadors closed to within a run against Heinle (8-7) as Tracy Allen slugged her second home run of the season with one out in the seventh, lining a shot down the left field line, but Heinle shut the door, getting a pair of strikeouts after a two-base error to end the game.
Heinle gave up three runs on three hits in the complete-game effort, finishing with seven strikeouts and facing just five over the minimum on 85 pitches. Debbie Duran (17-12) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts.
Allen finished with two hits to lead the Matadors.