Idaho State Box Score | Grand Canyon Box Score
PHOENIX, Ariz. - The Cal State Fullerton Titans split their second day of the Purple Classic after falling to Idaho State on a walkoff homerun and rallying to come back and defeat Grand Canyon University.
Game One Cal State Fullerton 3, Idaho State 4
In another tough matchup between the Titans and Bengals on Saturday afternoon, Idaho State came out on top after a walk-off homerun by Angela Cano in the seventh inning.
The Titans fall to 5-3 on the season while the Bengals improve to 3-6.
Alexia Silvas got her first start in the circle for her Titan career. She pitched almost the entire game and went 6.2 innings allowing 4 runs on 7 hits, 0 walks, and 6 strikeouts.
The Titans once again had to play from behind for most of the game. Idaho State took the lead in the second inning before the Titans responded immediately in the third.
The Titans should've had bases loaded to start the third inning after Antuanett Dean led the inning off with a base hit. She was called out after successfully stealing second for leaving the base early which proved costly as Megan Delgadillo and Peyton Toto would single in their next at-bats. They walked Hannah Becerra to load the bases and Deshea Hill had a sac fly to right field to score the first run for the Titans.
The Titans took a short lived lead in the fifth inning. Once again the 9-1 punch of Dean and Delgadillo came through as Dean led the inning off with a bunt single. Delgadillo walked and eventually Hannah Becerra walked. Deshea Hill had a comebacker go off the pitcher to the second baseman to get a force out at first but plate a run for the Titans to make it a 2-1 game.
However, the Bengals would strike for two in the bottom of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead after having three hits in the inning.
Down to their final three outs, the Titans were in business to start the inning with the top of the order up. Delgadillo had a single up the middle, stole second base, and took third on a Peyton Toto flyout.
After having to pitch to Becerra, she came through with a single through the left side to score Delgadillo and tie the game. The Titans would load the bases with one out but two infield groundouts would end the opportunity for the Titans in the seventh.
With two outs and 1-2 count for the Bengals, Angelica Cano hit a home run over the left center wall to give the Bengals a walk-off win over the Titans.
Game Two, Cal State Fullerton 7, Grand Canyon 4
The Cal State Fullerton Titans overcame a 3-0 lead to take down tournament hosts Grand Canyon 7-4 in their second game of the day.
After a tough loss earlier in the day the Titans would stumble out of the gates in the first inning against GCU where the Lopes took an early 3-0 lead in the first.
However, the Titan bats finally came alive in the third inning where they plated six runs on eight hits and sent 11 batters to the dish.
Alexa Neil led the inning off by reaching on an error. Antuanett Dean had a bunt single. Delgadillo had a double to CF that scored two runs.
Peyton Toto had a solo shot over the LF fence.
T3 | @peytontoto1 WANTS ALL THE SMOKE!?#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/m4QHPOUx8g
— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) February 20, 2022
Deshea Hill had a 2-run home run over the CF wall.
T3 | KEEP IT GOING!!! @hill_deshea #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/qecvPFTIhF
— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) February 20, 2022
Daisy Munoz doubled and Anaiya Mitchell singled her home. Alexa Neil got a single in her second at-bat in the inning before finally Dean grounded out.
In the top of the fifth inning, Daisy Munoz crushed a ball over the LF fence to extend the lead to 7-3.
T5 | Strutting on them Lopes @daisymunozz #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/n5NRhyo0CS
— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) February 20, 2022
The game wouldn't come easily as the Lopes had a rally in the 7th inning. They had a leadoff walk that came around to score on a single up the middle to make it 7-4. The Lopes loaded the bases with one out. But Alexia Silvas battled out of the jam with two flyouts and a strikeout.
After a nervous start to the game, the Strawberry, Arizona native Raci Miranda was fantastic in the circle. She allowed just four runs (three earned) on eight hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. She retired 10 straight after there were seven batters in the first inning.
