FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton (15-19) split their Friday night double-header against LMU (17-18-1) to close out their non-conference schedule.
In game one, Taylor Dockins made her return to the circle after missing last week for medical reasons and she had herself a fantastic game. Going the distance, the freshman only allowed two unearned runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out four. It marked her sixth complete game of the season.
Offensively, the Titans were led by multi-hit efforts from Sammie Vandiver and Sam Kennedy while Brooke Clemetson found her way on-base three times. Ari Williams, Zoe Richard, and Janelle Rodriguez were responsible for the three RBI in the contest.
The first two innings were quiet for both sides only had four baserunners reach combined. The scoring started in the third, as the Lions plated a pair of runs on a pair of RBI singles in the inning to take the first lead of the day.
Fullerton responded in the fourth inning courtesy of Rodriguez's pinch hit single down the left field line to bring in Kelsie Whitmore. They plated another run in the fifth as Richard came through with an RBI bases-loaded groundout.
The game remain tied as Dockins settled in nicely and the Titan offense was held in check. That is, until the seventh inning. After a bunt single from Clemetson, Vandiver would single into right making first and third with nobody out. That would bring Williams to the dish as the squeeze play was put on and executed perfectly as Clemetson would slide in safely to send the Titans home as walkoff winners.
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As per usual, it was a quick turnaround as the two teams had a short 25-minute break before facing off in game number two.
Trish Parks got the start in the second ballgame and she was lights out for six innings only allowing one run and in line for the win up until the final inning. Her final line reads as seven-plus innings allowing five runs on six hits and one walk while striking out four.
The Titans got the bats going quick scoring a run in each of the first three innings. In the first, it was a Richard RBI double to plate the first run. The second was an RBI single from Vandiver. And the third, was an RBI double from Shianne Brannan. Unfortunately, that would be all for the Fullerton offense.
LMU was held in check through the first four innings before a solo home run put them on the board. Even then, Parks was shutting them down until one out in the seventh. A double and a home run back-to-back tied the ballgame up and would send us in to extra innings.
With the international tie breaker rule in play, LMU got a leadoff two-run home run in the top of the eighth spelling the end of the night for Parks. Kenzie Grimes would take over in the circle and struggle. Getting just two outs, she allowed two runs on three hits and a walk as the Lions jumped out to a 7-3 lead.
That would be the final score as the Titans would line into a game-ending double play to lose the ballgame.
Fullerton has a week off from games, as they won't see action until next Friday night as they host UC Santa Barbara in the conference opener. The game is a cancer-awareness day in honor of Taylor Dockins, who is battling liver cancer. More information to come tomorrow.
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