May 4, 2008
FULLERTON, CA - Cal State Fullerton senior right hander Jessica Doucette tossed a three-hit shutout while freshman K.C. Craddick added a pair of hits to help lift the Titans to a 3-0 series-clinching victory over No. 17 Long Beach State on Sunday afternoon at Anderson Family Field.
The victory improved Fullerton's record to 26-24-1 overall, 10-8 in the Big West Conference while the 49ers lost their second straight in falling to 37-14, 13-5 in league play.
After losing a tough eight-inning decision in the series opener, Doucette (13-12) was dialed in on Sunday, scattering just three hits and retiring 14 straight batters at one point. She faced just three batters over the minimum, striking out five without a walk in the complete-game victory, throwing only 66 pitches in the win.
Bridgette Pagano (13-10) suffered the loss, allowing two earned on six hits, walking a pair and striking out three in six innings of work.
Fullerton scored all the runs it would need with two outs in the second inning as Craddick led off with a single, moved to second on Jenna Wheeler's long fly ball that was caught in foul territory in the left field corner, and advanced to third on a groundout.
That brought up Courtney Martinez, who promptly singled to left field, plating Craddick for the 1-0 lead. After a single by Crystal Vieyra put a pair on, Katie Gollhardt then laced another single to left that was misplayed by the fielder, allowing both baserunners to score for the 3-0 advantage.
Doucette then took control from the circle, not allowing a baserunner until Brooke LeSage's lead-off double in the seventh - the first extra base hit of the game - and then retiring the final three batters of the game on a foul out and a pair of ground balls to end it.
Cal State Fullerton closes out the regular season with its final three-game Big West Conference series of the year at home against UC Santa Barbara. The Titans and Gauchos will meet in a doubleheader on Friday afternoon (May 9) beginning at 4 p.m. before Saturday's single-game finale on May 10 at 12 p.m.