FULLERTON, Calif. - Cal State Fullerton ((25-14, 5-1 BWC) swept the Saturday doubleheader, 7-3 and 9-1, against CSUN (18-21, 2-4 BWC) to take the series. It's the ninth consecutive conference series the Titans have won going back to last season.
Taylor Dockins got the game one start in the circle and after working through some first inning trouble, held the Matadors scoreless through the first three innings.
Meanwhile, the offense got the scoring started right off the bat plating a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from Deshea Hill to plate Irie Siofele, who got the rally started with a one-out double.
The Titans plated two more in the third against Kenedee Jamerson in the bottom of the third as the first run came in to score on an error while the second run came across on Hill's RBI double.
CSUN finally got to Dockins in the fourth as Kiarra Crockett-Pope launched a two-run home run to cut into the Titan lead. However, Fullerton would answer back immediately getting a run back in the bottom half on a Siofele RBI single to drive in Alexa Neil.
The Matadors would not go down without a fight plating a run in the top of the fifth on a bases loaded walk. That would cause Fullerton to go to the pen and Dani Martinez would strike out the next CSUN hitter to end the frame and escape the jam.
CSF would tack on two more in the sixth and another in the seventh just for good measure, but Martinez was cruising allowing just one Matador to reach in the final two innings giving the Titans a 7-3 win and evening the series up at one win a piece.
TOP PERFORMERS
Deshea Hill: 3-for-4, 2B, 2RBI
Irie Siofele: 3-for-4, 2B, R, RBI
Janelle Rodriguez: 2-for-3, R
Taylor Dockins (W, 3-5): 4.2 IP, 5H, 3ER, 4BB, 3K
Dani Martinez (S, 1): 2.1 IP, H, 3K
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The Titans would take on the challenge of facing Jillian James, who picked up the complete game victory on Friday night, in the series finale. However, scoring in all five innings of the ballgame.
The scoring got started in the first inning as Deshea Hill crushed her fourth home run of the season to left field with two runners aboard making it an early 3-0 lead for the Titans.
Fullerton would continue the hot hitting with two more in the third on consecutive singles from Siofele and Ari Williams to plate Zoe Richard and Kelsie Whitmore.
Zoe Richard would connect for her second homer of the season in the bottom of the third to make it a 6-0 game.
Six runs was more than enough run support for starting pitcher Dani Martinez, who allowed just one baserunner through the first 3.1 innings before surrendering a home run to Megan Stevens. In fact, Martinez only allowed two baserunners all game and both were to Stevens as the freshman right-hander was perfect against the rest of the CSUN lineup.
Fullerton would get the run back on Siofele's fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth and then end the ballgame in the bottom of the fifth as Sam Kennedy recorded an RBI triple before coming in to score the game-ending run on Richard's sac fly.
TOP PERFORMERS
Deshea Hill: 2-for-3, HR, 3RBI, 2R
Irie Siofele: 2-for-2, HR, 2RBI, 2R
Zoe Richard: 2-for-2, HR, 2RBI, R
Dani Martinez (W, 10-4): 5 IP, H, ER, BB, 5K
Cal State Fullerton will look to keep the success rolling next weekend at rival Long Beach State. Saturday's games can be seen on ESPN3 while Sunday will be on ESPNU.
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