Feb. 18, 2006

Box Score - BYU | Box Score - Utah State

LAS VEGAS, NV - The Cal State Fullerton softball team split for the second straight day at the 2006 Louisville Slugger Desert Classic, falling to Brigham Young, 5-2, in the first game of the morning, but rebounding to shutout Utah State, 8-0, to conclude the day's action at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park in Henderson, Nev.

The Titans (4-5 overall, 2-2 in the tournament) conclude tournament play on Sunday morning (Feb. 19) at 9:05 am as the Titans take on Notre Dame at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park in Henderson, Nev.

BRIGHAM YOUNG 5, CAL STATE FULLERTON 2
Brigham Young scored five times in the first two innings and starter Summer Tobias scattered six hits and struck out six as the Cougars defeated Cal State Fullerton 5-2.

The loss dropped the Titans to 3-5 overall on the season and 1-2 in the tournament. BYU improved to 7-2 overall.

After two quick outs to start the game, BYU loaded the bases against Fullerton starter Marissa Marzan (1-2) thanks to a double by Ianeta Le'I, a walk to Ashlyn Russell, and a single back up the middle by Paige Paramore. That brought up Andrea Ramirez, who doubled to the fence in right to bring home a pair and make it 2-0. Tracee Hoch then followed with a single off Crystal Vieyra's glove into left to drive home another and make it 3-0.

The bat of Candice Baker got a pair back in the Titans' half of the first as Vieyra reached by being hit by a pitch for the third time on the weekend and scored when Baker slammed a 2-2 pitch just to the left of center for her second home run of the season to cut the deficit to 3-2.

The Cougars got both those runs back in the second off the bat of Le'I, who crushed a pitch deep over the fence in left, scoring Snow ahead of her to make it 5-2.

-0Tobias then shut the door, allowing just five hits over the final six innings and stranding runners in scoring position in the third and fourth innings en route to the complete-game victory.

Sophomore Dana Crucil pitched well in relief of Marzan, allowing just five hits in four shutout innings, stranding seven runners (four in scoring position) and escaping a bases-loaded jam in the fifth to keep the Titans in it. BYU left 10 runners on for the game.

Sophomore Jenna Wheeler and Baker each led Fullerton with two hits apiece.

CAL STATE FULLERTON 8, UTAH STATE 0
Cal State Fullerton junior Candice Baker scattered three hits and struck out eight in the complete-game shutout while Baker and Amanda Kamekona each added a pair of hits on the day as the Titans downed Utah State, 8-0.

Fullerton moved to 4-5 overall on the season while Utah State fell to 2-9.

Baker (3-1) earned her second win of the weekend, allowing two runners to reach third, but one was picked off by catcher Ashlee Weatherford to end the first inning and the other stranded as part of three Aggies left in scoring position.

Leslie Higley suffered the loss, allowing six earned on eight hits before being pulled with two outs in the seventh.

Two runs in the second got the Titans out to the early lead as back-to-back RBI singles by Jenna Wheeler and freshman Courtney Martinez (also her first career hit and RBI) gave Fullerton the 2-0 lead.

The Titans added two more in the third with runners on the corners and one out, Ashley Van Boxmeer broke for second base, drawing a throw from the catcher. Higley intercepted the throw and caught Candice Baker in a run down. However, in the exchange between the third baseman and catcher, Baker stepped around the tag of the Aggies' catcher halfway and touched the plate for the 3-0 advantage and left Van Boxmeer standing at third.

After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Katie Gollhardt hit a long fly double that bounced off the base of the fence, scoring Van Boxmeer to make it 4-0.

The Titans were quiet until the fifth when Amanda Kamekona led off with a double to right and scored two batters later on Baker's double to make it 5-0.

Cal State Fullerton added to its lead with three in the seventh as the Titans loaded the bases with two outs thanks to a triple by Kamekona and back-to-back hit by pitches to Vieyra (her fifth of the weekend) and Baker. Van Boxmeer followed with a smash back through the box that rolled to the fence in right center, clearing the bases to make it 8-0.