NORTHWESTERN BOX SCORE | OREGON BOX SCORE
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - The Cal State Fullerton Titans softball team split their final day at the Mary Nutter tournament against two ranked opponents. The Titans defeated #15 Northwestern 9-8 in their first game of the day and lost to #11 Oregon 4-3 in their second game.
The Titans went 3-2 for the tournament with two wins over ranked teams #8/#10 Arizona and #15 Northwestern. They also beat a San Diego State team that is receiving votes in some polls.
GAME 1 - Cal State Fullerton 9, No. 15 Northwestern 8
The Titans offense exploded early in the game after getting no-hit by No.1 Oklahoma the day before.
The Titans pushed across seven runs in the first inning to start the game. They scored the seven runs off five hits and sent 11 batters to the dish in the inning.
Megan Delgadillo led the inning off with a base hit. Hannah Becerra walked and Deshea Hill was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Daisy Munoz then promptly singled through the left side to score two runs.
T1 | That's how you start the game off @daisymunozz #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/E8SDC90Y6Y
— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) February 27, 2022
Alyssa Hernandez had a double that scored one run.
T1 | @alyssaah_12 drives in one more run! Titans lead 3-0 early in this one#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/dhkBVd1ocB
— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) February 27, 2022
They loaded the bases before Kika Ramirez hit a grand slam laser over the LF wall to make it a 7-0 game.
T1 | @kika__elizabeth JUST DID THAT!��#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/9dlxOu1XK0
— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) February 27, 2022
Northwestern responded right back with two runs of their own as Sutherlin was dealing with control issues in the first inning. They scored two runs on a bases loaded walk and a bases loaded hit batsmen.
The Titans got one run back in the fifth as Antuanett Dean led the inning off with a single. She stole second base before scoring on a Delgadillo infield error.
Northwestern had a big fifth inning where they scored five runs off two hits and an error to make it a 8-7 game.
The Titans got a big insurance run in the 7th inning to make it a 9-7 game. Alexa Neal led the inning off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Delgadillo hit a sac fly to center field off Northwestern's ace to drive in Neal.
M7 | Delgadillo with another productive out to pick up a huge insurance run. Titans lead 9-7#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/CgnTdPQeDT
— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) February 27, 2022
That run would prove to be huge as Northwestern almost came back and tied it in the bottom of the seventh.
Northwestern had runners on second and third and had a base hit up the middle to make it a 9-8 game. They held the tying runner at third base. The Titans intentionally walked Rachel Lewis before Silvas was able to get Jordyn Rudd to fly out to end the game.
Myka Sutherlin picked up the win despite allowing seven runs (six earned) on four hits, five walks, and four hit batters. Alexia Silvas picked up the save in relief after allowing just one run in 2.1 innings on two hits, two walks, and three strikeouts.
GAME 2 - Cal State Fullerton 3, No. 11 Oregon 4
The Titans struck first in this game but couldn't hold on as Oregon had one big inning that the Titans couldn't overcome.
In the second inning, the Titans loaded the bases. Daisy Munoz led the inning off with a double before Jessi Alcala was hit by a pitch and Alyssa Hernandez walked. Kika Ramirez worked a bases loaded walk to bring in the first run. Megan Delgadillo had an infield base hit to score another run to make it 2-0 but that was all the Titans were able to push across.
Oregon responded with a big inning of their own as Allee Bunker hit a three run home run and Hannah Delgado hit a home run right after her to give the Ducks a 4-2 lead.
The Titans loaded the bases with one out in the fifth inning but Munoz and Alcala both struck out to leave the bases loaded.
The Titans had a two out rally in the final inning as Hannah Becerra got on base after a throwing error by the pitcher on a comebacker to her. Deshea Hill singled up the middle to drive home Becerra to make it a 4-3 game. However, Munoz had a deep fly out to left field to end the game.
Alexia Silvas had another effective outing out of the pen as she allowed just two hits in 3.1 innings of scoreless work.
