March 31, 2012
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA - Senior Nicole Johnson went 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBI to help pace a 12-hit Cal State Fullerton attack Saturday afternoon, helping lift the Titans to a 10-2 win over host Cal Poly in six innings at Bob Janssen Field in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
An hour-long rain delay stopped the contest with Fullerton (13-16, 1-0) leading 6-1 in the sixth before the Titans exploded for four runs upon returning to the diamond en route to the run-rule win. Due to rain forecast to continue throughout the afternoon on Saturday, the two teams will complete their series with a doubleheader on Sunday (April 1) beginning at 11 a.m.
The Mustangs fell to 7-21 overall and 0-1 in the Big West with the loss.
Freshman Desiree Ybarra (8-9) went the distance for the win, allowing just two runs on 10 hits and striking out four while making her eighth consecutive start. Chloe Wurst (2-11) suffered the loss, allowing nine earned on 12 hits, walking three and striking out three in the complete-game effort.
Sophomore Leesa Harris also finished 3-for-3 at the plate for the Titans, crossing the plate three times, while junior Ashley Carter added a pair of hits, two runs scored, and an RBI.
Senior Anissa Young's sacrifice fly put the Titans on the board quickly in the first and junior Tiffany Sheffler's two-run triple gave Fullerton a 3-0 lead after one-half inning. The advantage was pushed to 4-0 in the second on a sac fly by Carter and the Titans kept Cal Poly off the board in the bottom of the inning, a frame that included Harris throwing out Celina Lafrades at the plate after a lead-off triple.
Johnson smashed her fifth home run of the season to lead off the third to make it 5-0 before the Mustangs finally broke through against Ybarra on an RBI double by Madi Vogelsang that made it 5-1. An error in the fourth allowed a sixth run to come home for the Titans before Mother Nature intervened, delaying the game.
After the skies cleared, Fullerton picked up right where it left off, scoring four times in the sixth with Johnson delivering the key blow, a three-run, bases-clearing double for a 10-1 advantage. Redshirt freshman Eliza Crawford also added an RBI single in the inning to cap the scoring.
After two strikeouts to start the inning, Whitley Gerhart got a run back for the Mustangs in the sixth with her second home run of the season, but a ground ball back to Ybarra in the circle after a hit batter ended the game.
Kim Westlund and Vogelsang each finished with two hits for Cal Poly.