BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton softball team's hot hitting continued Wednesday as the Titans took both games in a doubleheader vs. CSU Bakersfield at the RR Softball Complex.
With the victories, Fullerton moves to 6-5 and over .500 for the first time this season. Delynn Rippy led the way for the Titans as she had a combined seven hits and six RBIs today alone, including the go-ahead two-run single in the second game.
The Titans continue their busy week tomorrow with a home game against Houston at Anderson Family Field at 6 p.m. PT. Fullerton will travel to Cathedral City, Calif., following the battle with the Cougars for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
In game one, the Titans capitalized on some costly errors from the Roadrunners as they scraped four unearned runs to defeat Bakersfield, 7-2.
It would be a different story in game two as it turned into a slugfest with Fullerton striking first with five runs in the first three innings. Then, the Roadrunners (1-8) didn't let up as they scored seven-straight in the next two innings to take a 7-5 edge into the sixth.
The Titans answered the seven consecutive runs with a five-spot in the sixth to take back the lead, 10-7, and eventually beat CSU Bakersfield by the same score, thanks to a couple shutdown innings from Sydney Golden.
Game One
After a scoreless first, the Titans jumped on the board in the second with a bit of small ball as Mikaela Francis drew a leadoff walk. Arianna Williams came into to pinch-run at first and got her fourth steal of the season by swiping second.
Colenzo followed the stolen base with a sac-bunt, putting Randall at the plate with Williams on third. The freshman laid down a bunt for a safety squeeze and it paid off as Williams got to the plate easily to put the Titans on the board first.
However, Bakersfield answered the Fullerton run in the second with two of its own as Josie Flores ripped a two-run single to center to give the Roadrunners a 2-1 lead through two frames.
The Titans didn't waste any time taking the lead back in the third though with Rippy and Vandiver getting on base to start the inning, followed by a sac-bunt which put two Titans in scoring postion with Grimes set to take the plate. The junior ripped a ball to center which easily scored Rippy from third and knotted the score back at two.
Next, Francis singled to center and Colenzo reached on an error by the second baseman, scoring Vandiver from third and lifting Fullerton to a 3-2 advantage.
After a walk by Randall, Shianne Brannan and Brooke Clemetson drove in a run with a hit-by-pitch and RBI single to extend the Titans lead to 5-2 through three innings.
Following the four-run third, Kessler (3-1) settled in as she threw three-straight scoreless innings before being relieved by Sydney Golden in the sixth. The senior's final line was five-plus innings pitched, two earned runs, nine strikeouts, three hits and three walks.
Fullerton added a couple more runs in the fifth and seventh as Rippy collected two more hits with an RBI single and double, giving the senior her fourth multi-hit game and first three-hit game of the year.
Golden got some late work as she finished off the game for the Titans with one-plus innings pitched, one hit and one walk.
Overall, the Titans finished the game one with seven runs on six hits and no errors. Francis played well in her first start of the season as she went 2-for-3 with a run and a walk, along with Grimes who collected her first RBI of the year with a sac-fly.
Game Two
The Titans continued to swing the bats well in game two as Vandiver singled to center in the first before catch Lexi Gonzalez crushed a ball to left field to give her team a 2-0 lead after one.
Fullerton kept the momentum going in the third with three more runs to extend its lead to 5-0, but Bakersfield didn't let the Titans pull away by scoring three runs of its own to cut the CSUF advantage to 5-3.
In the fourth, the Roadrunners put the Titans in some danger as they loaded the bases for Maddi Clark who made Fullerton pay as she hit a grand slam to put Bakersfield up 7-5.
The Titans didn't quit though as they put a five spot up in the sixth to re-take the lead late. Rippy's hot bat continued as she sliced a single up the middle to drive-in two runs and put the Titans on top 9-7.
Vandiver added more insurance for Fullerton with an RBI single to extend the lead to 10-7.
Golden entered the game in the bottom half of the sixth and threw a much-needed shutdown inning to keep the momentum with the Titans.
In the seventh, Golden sealed the victory with another strong inning and collected her first save of the year.
Overall, Rippy and Francis combined for eight of the Titans' 17 hits with Rippy also collecting four RBIs in the gamel. Vandiver, Colenzo and Brannan also finished the game with multiple-hits as well.
Freshmen Kelsie Whitmore and Sophie Frost both made their first career starts in game two with Whitmore manning center and Frost holding it down in the circle.
Whitmore finished the game 0-for-2 with two runs and two walks while Frost pitched three innings, surrendered five earned runs, six hits, three walks and struck out three.
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