March 28, 2011

FULLERTON, CA - Cal State Fullerton senior right-hander Ari Cervantes earned a share of the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week award for the second time this season following a pair of masterful performances over the weekend for the Titans.

Cervantes, who also earned a share of the award back on March 7, allowed only seven hits and an unearned run in two complete-game victories over Ohio and Cal State Bakersfield, striking out 11 and holding opponents to a .146 batting average over 14 innings.

In Fullerton's opener against the Bobcats, Cervantes twirled a three-hitter while striking out six in the Titans' come-from-behind 2-1 victory, marking the fourth time this season that the senior has struck out at least six batters in a game. She allowed only one extra base hit and stranded five runners on the basepaths - three of those in scoring position. After the Titans rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth, Cervantes nailed down the win by striking out the side swinging in the seventh to end the game.

She followed that performance up with her second shutout victory over Cal State Bakersfield this season, allowing just four Roadrunner hits and only one batter to reach second base in the 1-0 shutout. Cervantes faced just four over the minimum while striking out five and retired eight-straight Bakersfield batters at one point en route to the win.

For the season, Cervantes stands at 9-8 overall with a 2.39 ERA, entering this week's Big West openers on the road at UC Santa Barbara ranked third in the league in ERA, fifth in average against (.244), first in innings pitched (114.1), sixth in strikeouts (67), tied for third in strikeouts looking (22), and second in wins.

Fullerton's series against the Gauchos opens with a doubleheader on Saturday (April 2) at 12 p.m. before closing with a single game on Sunday (April 3) at noon.