PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – The Cal State Fullerton softball team almost left Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on a four-game winning streak but came up just short as the Titans defeated Texas Tech (5-3) and fell to Fresno State (11-12) on Saturday at Nancie Almaraz Stadium.
Fullerton got the morning started right with a dominant 5-3 win over the Red Raiders. Pitcher Kelsey Kessler (2-2) threw a gem, as her line against Texas Tech was six-plus innings pitched, one earned run, one walk, four hits and 10 strikeouts. Trisha Parks, Zoe Richard, Sydney Colenzo and Shianne Brannan all collected an RBI in the win over the Red Raiders as well.
The second game was the definition of a shootout as both teams had spurts of runs with Fresno State scoring nine runs combined in the third and fourth innings and Fullerton putting up a nine spot in the fifth to re-take the lead. However, the Bulldogs would walk-off with an RBI single in the eighth inning.
With the split, the Titans move to 4-5 on the season and finish the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge with a record of 3-2, defeating Mississippi State (Friday), Florida Gulf Coast (Friday) and Texas Tech this morning.
After two off-days on Sunday and Monday, the Titans won't waste much time as they travel to Cal State Bakersfield for a doubleheader with the Roadrunners on Tuesday at 12/2 p.m. PT.
Game One (Box Score vs. Texas Tech)
With two victories on Friday, Fullerton came into its matchup against Texas Tech with some confidence and it showed early for the Titans.
In the third, Vandiver started what became a three-run rally as she blooped a leadoff single to left for her second hit of the day. Parks came up next for Fullerton and crushed a line drive that sailed over the centerfielder's head and to the fence for an RBI triple to give the Titans a 1-0 advantage.
After a walk to Lexi Gonzalez, Clemetson came into the game to pinch-run and immediately stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Fullerton with Richard at the plate.
The freshman put the ball in play and collected an RBI on the groundout, putting the Titans up 2-0 over Texas Tech. Colenzo kept it going with an RBI groundout of her own, driving in Clemetson from third and putting a three spot on the board for Fullerton in the third.
Kessler looked as good as the Titans offense through the first three frames as she fanned five and kept the Red Raiders scoreless.
After a leadoff single from Brannan to start the fourth, Ariana Williams came into pinch-run for the shortstop and stole second base. Williams eventually came across the plate to score after a sacrifice from Rippy and a wild pitch to Vandiver, giving the Titans a 4-0 advantage.
However, Texas Tech got the run in the fourth back with an RBI single from Kierra Miles, cutting the Fullerton lead to 4-1.
Kessler didn't let the Red Raiders get anything else though, as she bounced back in the fifth by sitting the Tech side down in order.
Brannan added some insurance for the Titans in the sixth as she ripped a double to center for her second hit of the night, knocking in Burns to put Fullerton up 5-1.
Sophie Frost entered to pitch for Kessler to start the seventh and Texas Tech made a late rally by adding two runs off the freshman, cutting the Fullerton lead to 5-3 with two runners on.
Kessler re-entered after the two runs came across and shut the door on the Red Raider comeback hopes as she struck out Raina O'Neal to secure the Titans victory. The senior's line was terrific as she pitched six-plus innings, gave up one earned run, walked one and struck out 10.
Overall, Fullerton finished the game with seven hits on five runs and one error. Vandiver and Brannan both finished the game with multiple-hits.
Game Two (Box Score vs. Fresno State)
After being in the driver's seat for all of game one against Texas Tech, the Titans found themselves playing catch up in the second game against Fresno State, which turned out to be quite the offensive affair.
Richard got Fullerton going early with an RBI single in the first inning, driving in Vandiver from second to give the Titans a 1-0 lead after one.
Parks threw a scoreless opening frame, but couldn't get out of trouble in the second as the sophomore surrendered five runs to the Bulldogs, giving them a 5-1 lead after two.
Kessler relieved Parks midway into the second and struggled to get anything past Fresno State as Schuylar Brossuard hit a bases-clearing triple off the senior to extend the Bulldog lead to 8-1 over the Titans.
Cerissa Rivera took the circle right after the triple and limited the rest of the damage to only one run, putting the Titans on the edge of being run-ruled as they trailed 9-1 after four.
However, Fullerton wasn't going to fall without a fight and the Titans gave it their all and more as they reeled off nine runs in the fifth inning to take a 10-9 lead into the sixth.
Gonzalez got the rally going with a sacrifice fly that brought in Rippy from third and from that point, the Titans found themselves in the midst of some two-out magic.
Richard followed the sac fly with an RBI single, cutting the lead to 9-3 with two outs in the fifth. Next, Irieanna Siofele doubled to right-center, knocking in Clemetson.
Surely but slowly Fullerton was creeping back in it and the Bulldogs felt the momentum shifting into the Titans hands and it shifted tremendously.
After a Randall walk, Williams, Brannan, Rippy and Vandiver each drove in a run to cut the Fresno State lead to 9-8, putting the Titans within a run and having the go-ahead run on the bases.
Finally, Parks stepped up to the plate and laced a double down the left field line that brought home both Rippy and Vandiver to give Fullerton a 10-9 lead and nine runs in the fifth. The top half of the inning lasted a half-hour as the Titans scored nine runs on nine hits in the amazing comeback effort.
Rivera followed the top half with an impressive shutdown inning to close the fifth and kept the Titans clinging to a one-run lead over the Bulldogs, 10-9.
Unfortunately, trouble caught up with the Titans in the sixth as four walks in the inning ended up in two runs for Fresno State, which put the Bulldogs up 11-10 entering the final frame.
But Fullerton didn't let the one-run lead faze them as Brannan drew a leadoff walk and made it to second on the sac-bunt from Rippy. Vandiver flied out to left and Parks went on to walk, which put the pressure on Gonzalez to collect the big hit and the senior didn't disappoint.
The Titans catcher blooped a single into center to score Brannan and keep Fullerton alive for another inning. Sydney Golden went on to get the Titans through the bottom half of the seventh, which meant free softball.
In the bottom of the eighth, Golden couldn't find her command as she hit a batter and walked the next to put the winning run on second. Fresno State's Vanessa Hernandez stepped up to the plate and drilled an RBI double to left, putting the Titans comeback to an end and giving the Bulldogs a 12-11 win.
Overall, the Titans collected a season-high 11 hits and 11 runs against Fresno State while only committing one error. Rippy (two hits), Vandiver (three hits) and Richard (two hits) all had a multi-hit game against the Bulldogs, while Gonzalez and Parks also joined Richard with two RBIs each as well.