Cal State Fullerton Sweeps Hawai’i, Wins 13th Straight

Cal State Fullerton Sweeps Hawai’i, Wins 13th Straight

Game 1 Box Score (.pdf) | Game 2 Box Score (.pdf)

HONOLULU, O'ahu – The Cal State Fullerton softball team continued its roll as the Titans won their 13th straight game with a doubleheader sweep of Hawaii on Saturday at Rainbow Wahine Stadium. Fullerton won game one by a score of 7-1 and followed that with a 2-0 shutout win over Hawaii in the night cap

The Titans received a pair of complete-game victories from senior lefty Desiree Ybarra and freshman right-hander Sydney Golden, respectively, as they improved to 38-10 overall and 12-0 in Big West Conference action. Cal State Fullerton's 12-0 conference ledger is the best conference start since the 2002 squad kicked off league action going 13-0.

Hawaii, meanwhile, falls to 20-25 on the year and 4-8 in Big West Conference play.

Game 1: Cal State Fullerton 7, Hawaii 1
The Titans got on the scoreboard early tallying four runs on as many hits in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Samantha Vandiver started the scoring surge as she opened the game with a triple down the leftfield line. Missy Taukeiaho picked up the first RBI of the game as she reached on a fielder's choice and Vandiver beat the throw home to give Cal State Fullerton a 1-0 lead.

Taukeiaho and Sarah Moore came around to score on a subsequent fielder's choice and a throwing error as the Titans took a 3-0 advantage.

Cal State Fullerton added its fourth run of the frame on a single to leftfield from Sydney Colenzo as her RBI-base hit plated Sechrest who reached on a single to left.

In the first inning, the Titans sent 10 batters to the plate and gave starter Ybarra a four-run cushion to work with.

Ybarra did her job in the circle as she effectively shut down the Rainbow Wahine and did not allow a run until the seventh inning. The senior out of Riverside, Calif., pitched her 10th complete game of the season as she tossed 7.0 innings while allowing just one run on seven hits. She walked one and fanned six en route to collecting her 12th win of the year.

With Ybarra in the circle shutting down the competition, the Titans' offense continued to surge as they added another run in the second and two in the fourth to take a 7-0 advantage.

Fullerton tallied 12 hits in the game and saw every starter record at least one base hit in the ballgame.

Hawaii's only run of the game came on a solo home run off the bat of Keiki Carlos in the seventh inning as the Rainbow Wahine made it a 7-1 ballgame.

Ybarra was unfazed by the homer as she struck out the next batter to end the game and earn the win.

Kanani Aina Cabrales (8-9) suffered the loss for the Rainbow Wahine after pitching 4.0 innings of work and allowing seven runs, six of which were earned, on 11 hits. She walked one and struck out one.

Jennifer Iseri pitched the final 3.0 innings for Hawaii and allowed just one hit, two walks and recorded one strikeout.

Sechrest led the offense for the Titans as she went 3-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored. Colenzo finished the game hitting 1-for-2 with a sac fly and two runs batted in. Taukeiaho batted 1-for-3 from the plate with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI.

Game 2: Cal State Fullerton 2, Hawaii 0
The night cap featured a complete-game shutout effort from Golden in the circle as the freshman was phenomenal once again.

Golden hurled 7.0 innings of shutout softball and scattered four hits, while walking one and striking out two as she went on to collect her team-leading 16th victory of the season.

Her counterpart, Brittany Hitchcock pitched well but surrendered two runs which proved to be the difference in the game.

The first Titan run came on a solo home run off the bat of Sarah Moore in the second inning which gave the Fullerton a 1-0 lead that they would not relinquish.

Moore's blast marked the second homer of the season for the senior designated player and brought the Titans' team home run total to 23.

With Golden continuing to shut down the Rainbow Wahine's offense, the Titans added an insurance run in the fifth on a pair of singles.

Shianne Brannan led off the frame with a single through the left side and Ariana Williams came in to pinch run and swiped her team-best 18th bag of the year and advanced to third on the overthrow. With Williams on third, Delynn Rippy singled back up the middle to bring home Cal State Fullerton's second run of the game and give the Titans a 2-0 edge.

Pitching with a two-run lead, Golden continued to mow down the Rainbow Wahine as she went on to win the game and help the Titans to their 13th straight victory.

Rippy finished the game batting 2-for-3 with an RBI and was the only player to record more than one hit in the game. Moore went 1-for-3 with a home run, an RBI and a run scored, while Vandiver, Alexis Gonzalez, Rodriguez and Brannan rounded out the remainder of hits for the Titans.

Cal State Fullerton returns to Anderson Family Field to host Big West Conference rival Long Beach State in a three-game series beginning Wednesday, April 27 with a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. The twinbill will be televised on ESPNU.

The Titans and 49ers will wrap up the series on Friday, April 29 at 6 p.m. Live stats, video and audio will be available on FullertonTitans.com.

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