NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – For the first time since 2006, the Cal State Fullerton softball team captured the Big West Conference Championship. The Titans secured their spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 with a 2-0 victory over CSUN on Sunday at Matador Diamond behind a stellar performance from senior left-hander Desiree Ybarra.
With the victory, the Titans improve to 41-13 overall and 15-3 in Big West Conference action, while the Matadors drop to 31-22 on the year and 11-7 in league play.
"Desi [Ybarra] was unbelievable today," Cal State Fullerton head coach Kelly Ford said. "She just commanded the game.
"Our student-athletes decided they were going to take the momentum and keep it the entire game. They took care of the ball, we had some great at-bats and I just feel like all around, they were on a mission. The student-athletes made the choice that they were going to play Titan Softball and – wow, they did it!"
Ybarra logged her 12th complete game of the season as she improved to 14-6 on the year. The Riverside, Calif., native effectively shut down the Matadors as she did not allow a base hit until the fourth inning.
As Ybarra held steady in the circle, the Titan offense got a spark from sophomore shortstop Shianne Brannan who belted her second home run of the year in the third inning. Brannan teed off against CSUN starter Daphne Pofek (18-8) and gave Cal State Fullerton all the run support it would need to win the game and the league title.
Pofek lasted 3.0 innings and suffered the loss after allowing one run on two hits. She was relieved by Taylor Troost who pitched the remaining 4.0 innings of work and allowed one run on five hits, while striking out two and walking one.
The second Titan run came in the fifth inning when Missy Taukeiaho, who drew a two-out walk, came around to score on a double to left-center by Alexis Gonzalez to give Cal State Fullerton a two-run lead.
Ybarra continued to mow down the Matadors in the circle as she allowed just three hits in the game. She collected the win after pitching 7.0 shutout innings with six strikeouts and just one walk.
Brannan finished the game batting 1-for-3 with one run and an RBI, while Taukeiaho was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Gonzalez was 1-for-4 with an RBI and Courtney Rodriguez went 2-for-4 for the Titans.
Cal State Fullerton closes out the regular season against UC Santa Barbara in a three-game series beginning Friday, May 13 at 6 p.m. Live stats, video and audio will be available on FullertonTitans.com.