SPORTS Titans run circles around Roadrunners PAGE 8 FEBRUARY 23, 2017 THURSDAY
Softball jumps above .500 after clinching back-to-back games against Cal State Bakersfield in nonconference series.
one hit in 1.1 innings. Golden closed the game for the 7-2 victory.
TODD HADLER Daily Titan Cal State Fullerton softball used a combination of small ball and the long ball to win both games in a doubleheader against CSU Bakersfield Wednesday. Game One The doubleheader, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was pushed to Wednesday due to rain. Reigning Big West Pitcher of the Week Kelsey Kessler got the start in game one. Kessler earned the win, giving up two earned runs and striking out nine in 5.2 innings. The theme for the Titans in the first game was small ball, as they scored their seven runs on six hits. CSUB helped the Titans’ cause as the Roadrunners gave up two errors and hit four Titan batters. The first run of the game came in the second
inning when Ariana Williams scored after two consecutive sacrifice bunts. The Roadrunners answered back in the bottom of the second with a two-run single by Bakersfield outfielder Josie Flores. The Titans regained the lead in the top of the third as Fullerton scored an unearned four runs off of only three hits. The Roadrunners gave up two errors in the inning. Kessler continued to dominate in the innings that followed, throwing two 1-2-3 innings in the third and the fifth. Delynn Rippy also helped going 3-5. Shortstop Shianne Brannan had the distinction of getting hit three times in game one, taking on a fourth in game two. Kessler was relieved in the sixth inning by Sydney Golden, who allowed
Game Two The bats came alive in game two with both teams combining for 25 hits. The Titans jumped out to an early lead with a tworun homer by catcher Lexi Gonzalez. The team almost matched the previous game’s hit total of four just in the first inning. In the bottom of the third inning, the Titans added three more runs to their lead, highlighted by a two-run double by Rippy. Titan pitcher Sophie Frost immediately found herself in a pickle in the third inning, giving up with three singles and two walks, which allowed the Roadrunners to score three runs. Frost opened the fourth inning giving up a pair of singles before getting pulled for Cerissa Rivera. Rivera gave up a single, loading the bases for infielder Maddi Clark. Clark cleared the bases, hitting a grand slam to give CSUB the 7-5 advantage. The Roadrunners had the
BAILEY CARPENTER / DAILY TITAN
After an up-and-down start to the season, Fullerton softball has brought its record above .500 for the first time with two wins over CSU Bakersfield Wednesday afternoon.
lead for one full inning before the Titans came back and scored five runs in the sixth inning. Colenzo, Brannan, Rippy and left fielder Samantha Vandiver each picked up a RBI single in the inning, giving CSUF the
10-7 lead. Rippy finished the day going a combined 7-10 with six RBIs. The Titans were able to hold onto the lead for the rest of the game with Golden coming in as closer, earning her first save of the season
while Rivera earned the win. The Titans improved their overall record to 6-5 and will face the University of Houston Cougars Thursday at 6 p.m. at Anderson Family Field.
Tennis extends historic undefeated start to season KATIE ALBERTSON / DAILY TITAN
CSUF bench celebrates as the Titans are able to complete the comeback over Big West Conferenceleading UC Irvine.
Rebounds: CSUF completes comeback CONTINUED FROM
1
“This group of guys took the challenge, and they stepped up tonight,” said Titan Head Coach Dedrique Taylor. “There were some huge, big-boy rebounds that this group got tonight, and I thought that was the difference in the game.” The Titans held a 19-8 advantage on the offensive glass over UCI, and none were more crucial than when Rowe snared Coggins’ blocked three-pointer to keep a possession that eventually ended with Ahmad
making one of two free throws. The sequence gave the Titans a 55-51 lead with 13 seconds remaining. UCI guard Luke Nelson (20 points) answered back with a 3-pointer with three seconds left, putting the game back in Coggins’ hands at the free-throw line after an intentional foul. Coggins made one of two, giving UCI the ball back trailing 56-54 with two seconds to go. UCI big man Brad Greene’s touchdown pass was able to advance the ball into the Anteaters’ side of
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @DTSPORTSDESK
the court, where they took a timeout with 0.9 left on the clock. Leslie’s swarming defense didn’t even allow Nelson to get a shot off at the buzzer, sending CSUF to Hawaii for a Saturday matchup with the Rainbow Warriors, confident it can hang with any team after knocking off the Big West’s best. “We all came together and we said we had to believe,” Coggins said. “That’s what we did and now we’re all where we want to be.”
CSUF continues strong start to season with win over LMU. ERIC DOMINGUEZ Daily Titan
Cal State Fullerton women’s tennis won its eighth straight match Wednesday, tying the record for consecutive wins in program history after defeating Loyola Marymount 4-1. With the victory, the Titans now trail the all-time series against the Lions 153, but have taken the last three meetings. “LMU has always been a tough team. They’ve had some big wins this season, so for us to come out with the win is a really good
on
start for us,” said Alexis Valenzuela. In singles matchups, the Titans played well in the first two sets, needing only sophomore Sarah Nuno’s 6-0 win in the third to take the victory. Nuno’s strong play hasn’t gone unnoticed, having recently been named Big West Conference Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week. Sophomore Karla Portalatin (6-4, 7-5) and junior Danielle Pham (7-5, 6-1) were the only Titans to win their first two sets. “I felt that we came out prepared and sharp,” said Head Coach Dianne Matias. “We knew the match was going to be really close. We were mentally prepared and we were ready to put the
work in today.” In doubles, Valenzuela and Camille De Leon won their matchup 6-3, while the Portalatin and Nuno pair won their match 6-1. “We had a slow start but we were able to pick it up with our energy,” De Leon said. “We tried picking on their weaker player and we just played our game.” With an 8-0 record, Fullerton is the only undefeated team remaining in the Big West Conference. “We just need to keep focusing on the present and putting the work in,” Matias said. The Titans look to extend their hot streak when they welcome Eastern Michigan this Friday at 1:30 p.m. Bryant Freese contributed to this report.
ollow us
VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM/SPORTS