LOS ANGELES – The Cal State Fullerton softball team dropped a non-conference decision at the hands of No. 9 UCLA, 9-1, in five innings at Easton Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
The ninth-ranked Bruins (32-8) used a six-run second inning to run away from the Titans (25-16) who could only manage three hits off a combined effort from UCLA's Johanna Grauer (7-1) and Selina Ta'amilo.
UCLA erupted for an early 6-0 lead in the bottom half of the second behind a two-single from Mysha Sataraka, two-run double by Allexis Bennett, RBI single off the bat of Delaney Spaulding, while a fielding error on the Fullerton defense also brought across a run.
Grauer shut out the Titans over the first four frames, scattering two hits while issuing two walks and striking out one. Ta'amilo tossed the final inning holding Fullerton to one run (unearned) on one hit.
The only run of the game for the Titans came in the fifth as the inning began with Delynn Rippy reaching second base after UCLA third baseman Sataraka committed both a fielding and throwing error on the same play. Courtney Rodriguez later followed with a looping RBI single to left-center to bring Rippy home.
Fullerton starter Jasmine Antunez (4-5) was tagged for five runs on three hits in one and 1/3 innings of work. Antunez tallied one strikeout and walk apiece. CSF sophomore left-hander Christina Washington tossed two and 2/3 innings of relief, yielding two runs (one earned) on four hits.
Cerissa Rivera entered the game in the fifth as the third Titans' pitcher, but failed to record an out before serving up a two-run homer to UCLA's Jelly Felix to stretch the lead to eight and clinch the run-rule victory for the Bruins.
Game Notes: Fullerton freshman Sammie Vandiver (0-for-3) had her program record hitting-streak snapped at 24 games…UCLA extends its series record over the Titans to 41-33-1 overall and 19-13-1 in Los Angeles…CSF is now 2-3 on Wednesday's, 2-3 on the road, and 17-7 in day games…This is the third run-rule loss of the season for the Titans.
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