SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Jasmine Antunez delivered an impressive outing, and Cal State Fullerton got key RBI hits from Ariel Tsuchiyama and Ashley Carter as the Titans took the conference series with a 3-0 victory over UC Santa Barbara on Sunday afternoon at Campus Diamond Stadium.
Antunez improves to 9-10 on the season after tossing a complete game shut-out and the Titans move to 15-17 overall and 2-1 in the Big West. The rookie right-hander allowed just three hits while issuing two walks and striking out five.
In the loss, UC Santa Barbara (20-10, 1-2) starter Shelby Wisdom allowed three runs on five hits and no walks in seven innings of work, while fanning six. Wisdom moves to 10-7 and over the weekend records two losses and a save in three contests.
Tsuchiyama got the Titans on the board first in the third inning with an RBI triple down the right field line, which scored Leesa Harris from first. It was the second triple of the year for Tsuchiyama and sixth for Fullerton.
The third inning continued as Ashley Carter got aboard on a fielder's choice and stole second. With runners on second and third, designated player Desiree Ybarra hit a RBI sacrifice fly to right field bringing home Tsuchiyama to give Fullerton a 2-0 lead.
The Titans added a run to take a 3-0 lead in the fifth as Carter's two-out double down the left field scored Harris from second. Carter and Harris recorded four of the five Cal State Fullerton hits and combined for three stolen bases.
UCSB's Kathryn Pilpil was 2-for-3 and designated player Jessica Tetzlaff added a hit for the Gauchos. UCSB travels to Moraga, Calif. on Wednesday to face St. Mary's before continuing Big West play in Stockton, Calif. against Pacific.
Fullerton continues conference play against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo next weekend in Fullerton, Calif. The Titans and Mustangs will play a doubleheader on Friday March 29 at 4 and 6 p.m. and the series finale is set for noon from Anderson Family Field on Saturday.
Game Notes: With the series win over UC Santa Barbara, Fullerton continues its perfect series streak against the Gauchos in Santa Barbara, Calif. The Titans have never lost a series at Campus Diamond Stadium and have not lost a series to UCSB since 2008.