CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Senior left-handed pitcher Desiree Ybarra earned her second complete-game win of the season as she led Cal State Fullerton to a 4-2 victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
Ybarra (2-3) received early run support from her offense as Cal State Fullerton (9-4) had a two-run first inning against Oklahoma State (5-8).
Samantha Vandiver led off the game with an infield single to get things going and Missy Taukeiaho followed with a fielder's choice and moved to second on a Cowgirls' throwing error.
With Taukeiaho in scoring position, Ariana Williams was brought in to pinch run and scooted to third on an infield single by Courtney Rodriguez. Rodriguez stole second to put both runners in scoring position for Sarah Moore who singled through the left side driving in Williams. Melissa Sechrest picked up an RBI of her own with a ground ball to give the Titans a 2-0 lead.
Oklahoma State cut Cal State Fullerton's lead in half after the Cowgirls laced a pair of doubles to left field in the bottom of the second to make it a 2-1 ballgame in favor of the Titans.
Fullerton tacked on another run in the top of the third after Taukeiaho led off the frame with a base hit and was brought home on a single through the right side by Sydney Colenzo.
The two-run Cal State Fullerton lead did not last long as Oklahoma State would add a run of its own of a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning to make it a one-run game again (3-2).
The Titans added to their lead in the top of the fifth after Taukeiaho reached on an error and moved to second on a sac bunt, before scoring on a double to deep centerfield by Melissa Sechrest to make it a 4-2 Fullerton lead.
Oklahoma State's Brandi Needham (2-5) lasted 4.2 innings while giving up four runs – three earned – on eight hits with one walk and one strikeout before making way for Kacy Freeze.
Taking the circle with a two-run lead once again, Ybarra kept the Cowgirls off the board for the rest of her outing. The product out of Riverside, Calif., did not allow a run for the final four innings of the game.
Ybarra earned her second win of the season after pitching 7.0 innings of work and allowing just two runs on six hits, while striking out three and walking one.
Freeze finished the game for the Cowgirls and pitched 2.1 innings without allowing a run and giving up just one hit. She struck out one and walked three.
Offensively for Fullerton, Rodriguez and Moore were the only Titans to record a multi-hit game. Rodriguez was 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Moore went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sechrest drove in two and batted 1-for-2 with a walk and Taukeiaho scored twice while finishing 1-for-4 at the plate.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action Sunday, Feb. 27 at 5 p.m., against BYU before taking on New Mexico State at 7:30 p.m.