March 14, 2008

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, CA - Cal State Fullerton junior Lauren Lupinetti tripled in a pair of runs as part of a three-run first inning and senior right-hander Jessica Doucette carried a perfect game into the seventh inning as the Titans held off a late Iowa State rally to hand the Cyclones a 3-2 loss to open play at the San Diego Classic hosted by San Diego State on Friday afternoon.

Fullerton improved to 14-10-1 overall on the season while Iowa State dropped both of its games on the day to fall to 18-6.

Doucette (8-4), fresh off an eight-inning shutout of No. 2 UCLA on Wednesday, fired back on Friday to win her sixth consecutive start, retired the first 18 Cyclones she faced before ISU struck for a pair of runs to make things interesting. She finished allowing the two runs on four hits - the first a bunt single to lead off the seventh - while striking out three.

Charissa Carlin (7-4) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in only two-thirds of an inning. Amie Ford shut the Titans down after that, scattering only three hits and striking out two in 5 1/3 innings of relief.

Fullerton got on the board quickly, rallying with two outs in the first innings. Senior Katie Gollhardt started things off with a single and came around to score on an error one batter later as senior Kiki Munoz's single was thrown away by the Iowa State shortstop. Junior Courtney Martinez followed with a single to put runners on the corners for Lupinetti, who tripled to right field, plating a pair and knocking Carlin from the game.

Ford came on and walked Jenna Wheeler to put runners back on the corners, but escaped any further damage when she struck out Torrie Anderson to end the inning.

Singles by Wheeler, Crystal Vieyra, and Munoz followed, but the Titans would not get another runner into scoring position for the remainder of the contest.

The Cyclones rallied for their two runs in the seventh as Kelsey Kidwell bunted for a single to lead off and scored when Courtney Wray tripled to break up the shutout. After an infield single by Alex Johnson to put runners at the corners, Ariel Coburn grounded out to first base to put the tying run into scoring position.

The Titans got a much-needed second out when Wray was eliminated at home plate on a wild pitch as Doucette sprinted in and blocked the runner trying to score. However, Johnson, who moved to third base on the wild pitch, scored on Jacquelyn Beatty's single to left to make it 3-2. Doucette would leave the tying run on base by getting Sydni Jones to pop out to end the game.

The Titans close out their first day in "America's Finest City" at 4:30 pm as they take on host and No. 23-ranked San Diego State.