FULLERTON, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton softball team closed out the Easton Classic with their third consecutive run-rule victory on Sunday against Utah Tech. The Titans, who won 8-0 in five innings, improved to 4-1 on the season, while
Leanna Garcia improved to 3-0 in the circle.Â
"The weekend went awesome," head coach
Gina Oaks Garcia said. "Coach Juarez got those hitters dialed in, getting the short ball going and thinking gap-to-gap. There's a lot of moving parts that will make this team great, and I am looking forward to seeing how it transpires."Â
As a team, the Titans posted a .419 batting average on the weekend, scoring 39 runs on 52 hits.
Ava Arce led Fullerton's offense through their five games, going 7-for-13 with 10 RBI and three doubles.Â
Leanna Garcia saw four innings from the circle, allowing two hits and a walk. Garcia struck out three of the 14 batters she faced. After opening weekend, Garcia holds a 0.68 ERA with one earned run and 14 strikeouts.
Trisha McCleskey completed the game for the Titans, keeping the Trailblazers scoreless through the fifth inning.Â
The Titans plated three runners in the first frame for the third consecutive game to take an early 3-0 lead over the Trailblazers. Arce started the scoring for the Titans on a double to center field, after
Kristalyn Romulo (single, SB) and
Colby McClinton (hit by pitch) advanced on a wild pitch.Â
Alexia Lopez collected her third RBI of the season two batters later, driving in Arce on a base hit to left field.
Fullerton's offense doubled their lead in the second inning, highlighted by McClinton's two-run triple. This marked McClinton's first career triple as a Titan, contributing to her .583 batting average (7-for-12, 3B, HR, 6 R, 5 RBI).Â
A sacrifice fly by
Abigail Salazar in the bottom of the fourth drove in Romulo who stole third base a pitch prior. Freshman
Sarah Coccillos put the Titans into run-rule territory (8-0) with a hard-hit single to Utah Tech's diving shortstop, scoring
Maggie Paulovich who reached first on an error.Â
"The freshmen want it and that's what is really pushing this team to the next level," Oaks Garcia said. "I see them staying after putting in extra work, and when you have that, they are going to get more opportunities to execute, which is what we saw this weekend."Â
The Titans embark on their first road trip of the season next weekend at the Arizona Bear Down Fiesta hosted by the University of Arizona. They are slated to play Ohio at 11:00 a.m. PT and Arizona at 4:00 p.m. PT on Friday, Feb. 14.Â
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