March 22, 2008

Box Score - Arizona | Box Score - Florida State

FULLERTON, CA - The Cal State Fullerton softball team split its final two games at the 2008 Judi Garman Classic on Saturday, upsetting No. 7 Arizona before falling to Florida State in the nightcap at Anderson Family Field.

The split moved the Titans to 16-15-1 overall and they finished the tournament 2-3 overall - including the exhibition game against the U.S. National Team that does not count in the overall standings.

IN the opener, Sheila Holguin and Katie Gollhardt each had RBI hits in the third inning and freshman Christine Hiner allowed just three hits on the day as Fullerton upset the Wildcats, 2-1.

Hiner (7-7) struck out six in the complete-game effort, surrendering only a home run to Stacie Chambers in the fourth to cut the Titans' lead in half.

Fullerton rallied for its two runs with two outs in the third as Jessica Doucette reached on an infield single off Arizona starter Lindsey Sisk (10-2) and came around to score on Holguin's RBI triple to the fence in right to make it 1-0.

Gollhardt then followed with a single back up the middle to score Holguin to make it 2-0 and give the Titans just enough of an advantage.

Hiner took it from there, allowing only one hit - a double by Jenae Leles in the sixth - over the next four innings to secure the win.

Holguin finished 3-for-3 on the day while three other Titans finished with hits. Chambers led the Wildcats with a 2-for-3 day at the plate.

In the nightcap, Cal State Fullerton jumped out to an early lead, but could not cash in on numerous scoring opportunities late in the game as Florida State handed the Titans a 4-1 loss.

Kristie McConn's two-run home run in the second proved to be the difference after Lupinetti gave Fullerton a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the first.

FSU's Ashley Stager led off the second by being hit by a pitch and was moved to second on a sacrifice. The Seminoles escaped an inning-ending double play when Camille Garcia lined out to short, but the throw to try and double up Stager sailed into right field, allowing her to move to third.

That brought up McConn, who lined a 1-2 offering from Fullerton starter Jessica Doucette (9-7) off the fair pole down the left field line to give Florida State the 2-1 advantage.

Fullerton had numerous chances to tie the game, leaving the tying run in scoring position in four of the next five innings, including runners at third in the second, fifth and sixth innings.

The Titans stranded seven runners on base - six in scoring position - and hit just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position on the day.

Doucette allowed the four runs on five hits while striking out two in the complete-game effort. Tiffany McDonald (10-3) scattered eight hits and allowed only the single run while striking out six in the win.

Courtney Martinez and Jenna Wheeler each finished with a pair of hits on the day to lead the Titans' eight-hit attack. Whitney Buckmon led Florida State with a pair of bunt singles to finish 2-for-4.

With tournament season behind them, Cal State Fullerton opens Big West Conference play next weekend as the Titans head to preseason favorite and defending league champion Cal Poly for a three-game series on March 29-30 in San Luis Obispo, Calif.