DAVIS, Calif. – After dropping two close decisions to UC Davis on Saturday afternoon, Eliza Crawford and Ashley Carter helped the Cal State Fullerton softball team edge out the Aggies 4-3 at La Rue Field on Sunday afternoon in Davis, Calif. The Titans improve to 23-27 overall and 8-10 in the Big West, while the Aggies fall to 21-24 on the year and 8-10 in Big West play.
Redshirt sophomore Eliza Crawford belted her eighth home run of the season and senior Ashley Carter colleced two RBI singles to help the Titans salvage the final game of the conference series.
The Titans got things started after a leadoff single from catcher Ariel Tsuchiyama and then three batters later grabbed an early lead 2-0 lead after third baseman Eliza Crawford belted a two-run round tripper. UCD came back to cut the Titan lead in half, 2-1, in the bottom half of the inning after a two-out RBI single from first baseman Kelly Schulze scored Cat Guidry.
After a leadoff triple to center from Melissa Sechrest to start off the second inning the Titans would extend their lead to 3-1 after Ashley Carter's RBI single down the first base line scored Sechrest. In the third inning the Aggies again would answer back after another Kelly Schulze RBI single to right field cutting the lead down to 3-2.
Leading 3-2 in the top of the fourth inning, Carter would add another RBI single up the middle, which scored Gabby Aragon and putting the Titans up by two. UCD would make things interesting in the bottom of the sixth inning after getting runners on first and second with two outs and second baseman Chandler Wagner up to bat. After getting ahead in the count 2-1 Wagner crusheda RBI double in the left center gap scoring JJ Wagoner from second and cutting the Titan lead down to one. However, with the game tying and winning run on base, pitcher Desiree Ybarra got Cat Guidry to groundout to shortstop Gabby Aragon to record the final out of the inning and end the Aggie rally.
Jasmine Antunez (16-14) started the game for Fullerton tossing 2 2/3 innings giving up two runs, one earned, off four hits, while issuing a walk and striking out one. Ybarra relieved Antunez in the third inning and threw the final 4 1/3 innings giving up one run off five hits.
UCD starter Justine Vela records the loss falling to 13-8 after throwing two innings giving up three runs off four hits, while striking out two. Reliever Jessica Thweatt allowed only one run off four hits, while striking out three in five innings.
Carter led the Titans with two hits and two RBI's as Fullerton got hits from seven different hitters. UCD shortstop Christa Castello was 3-for-4, Chandler Wagner was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Kelly Schulze was 2-for-3 with two RBI's.
The Titans return to Anderson Family Field Friday May 3 against the University of Pacific. The Titans and Tigers will meet in a doubleheader on Friday starting at 4 & 6 p.m and will wrap up the series on Saturday (May 4) at noon.