Game 1 Box Score (.pdf) | Game 2 Box Score (.pdf)
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton softball team extended its winning streak to five games with a pair of wins over Cal Poly on Saturday at Bob Janssen Field. In the first game, the Titans scored eight runs in a single inning highlighted by a two-run home run by Melissa Sechrest to roll over the Mustangs 8-3. The nightcap saw Fullerton defeat Cal Poly 5-1 as Sydney Golden logged a complete-game effort.
In addition to winning five games in a row, the Titans have won 10 of their last 11 games and are undefeated in Big West Conference action as they improve to 30-10 on the year and 5-0 in league play. Meanwhile, the Mustangs drop to 16-16 overall and 0-5 in conference action.
Game 1: Cal State Fullerton 8, Cal Poly 3
The Titans used an eight-run third inning to defeat the Mustangs 8-3 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader. Six of Cal State Fullerton's eight runs came with two outs as the Titans sent 13 batters to the plate in the frame.
After Cal Poly took a 1-0 lead with an RBI-single in the bottom of the second, Cal State Fullerton's bats awoke and pounded out eight runs on as many hits. The Titans put runners at the corners with one out for Missy Taukeiaho who singled back up the middle plating Shianne Brannan and Samantha Vandiver who had reached on a hit by pitch and a base hit, respectively.
Taukeiaho moved into scoring position on an error by the Mustangs and Sarah Moore roped a two-out double to leftfield to drive in Taukeiaho and make it a 3-1 ballgame in favor of the Titans.
With two outs, Sechrest belted a two-run home run to left-centerfield to give Cal State Fullerton a 5-1 advantage. The homer was the senior first baseman's second of the year.
Courtney Rodriguez kept things going for the Titan offense as she legged out an infield single. Sydney Colenzo also registered a base hit as Fullerton sent Brannan to the plate for the second time in the inning. Brannan sent a single to left which scored Rodriguez and the Titans took a 6-1 lead before Delynn Rippy roped a two-run triple down the right field line to cap the scoring and give Fullerton an 8-1 advantage.
Desiree Ybarra (9-5) earned the start for the Titans and went back into the circle with a seven-run lead. Despite allowing one run in the second, she kept the Mustangs off the board for the remainder of her outing. She pitched 5.0 innings and allowed just one run on six hits, while striking out six and walking one.
Jasmine Antunez came on in relief of Ybarra and surrendered two runs in the sixth as the Mustangs cut the Titans' lead to five runs (8-3). Antunez pitched 0.1 innings and allowed two runs and three walks before exiting for Christina Washington who ended the inning. Washington pitched 0.2 innings of work and allowed one hit, one walk and struck out one.
Sydney Golden pitched the seventh for Cal State Fullerton and preserved the win as the Titans defeated the Mustangs 8-3.
Lindsey Chalmers (6-9) took the loss for Cal Poly after pitching 7.0 innings and allowing eight runs on 11 hits. She walked one and fanned two.
The Mustangs had nine hits in the game, but left 10 runners on base.
Sechrest finished the game 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Vandiver was 2-for-3 with a run and Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Taukeiaho went 1-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs and a run, while Rippy was 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
Game 2: Cal State Fullerton 5, Cal Poly 1
Freshman right-hander Sydney Golden (12-3) earned the start in the nightcap and pitched her fifth complete-game of the season.
Golden received early run support from her teammates as the Titans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Vandiver led off the game with a double down the leftfield line and moved to third on an infield single by Alexis Gonzalez. With the bases loaded and no one out, the Mustangs committed an error that allowed Vandiver to score.
Taking the circle with a 1-0 lead, Golden retired the side in order before allowing a run in the second to even the score a 1-1.
However, the Titans would tally three more runs in the fourth after taking advantage of another Mustangs miscue. In the fourth, Colenzo reached on an error to start of the inning. Brooke Clemetson pinch ran and moved to second on a sac bunt before advancing to third on a ground out.
Again, the Titans did the most damage with two outs as Vandiver's infield single scored Clemetson and gave Fullerton a 2-1 edge. Taukeiaho came to the plate and doubled to the right-centerfield gap driving in Vandiver who motored around the bases to score from home, giving CSF a 3-1 lead. Gonzalez singled to left and Taukeiaho rounded third as the throw came home and slid under the tag plating the third run of the inning and giving Cal State Fullerton a 4-1 lead over Cal Poly.
Golden came back out in the bottom of the frame and did a solid job keeping the Mustangs off the board. She pitched all 7.0 innings and earned her 12th win of the year after allowing just one run on seven hits. She issued two walks and struck out one.
The Titans added their fifth and final run of the game in the seventh as Gonzalez drew a leadoff walk. Ariana Williams pinch ran and eventually scored on a double to leftfield off the bat of Sechrest.
Stephanie Heyward (0-3) suffered the loss in the circle for the Mustangs. She pitched 7.0 innings and allowed five runs (one earned) on eight hits, walked four and struck out one. She also batted leadoff and went 1-for-4.
Vandiver finished the game batting 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Taukeiaho was 1-for-2 with a walk, a run and an RBI. Gonzalez was 2-for-2 with an RBI, Sechrest was 1-for-2 with a run batted in and Rippy was 2-for-3.
Cal State Fullerton and Cal Poly close out the three-game series Sunday, April 10 at 1 p.m. Live stats will be available on FullertonTitans.com.