March 20, 2008

Box Score

FULLERTON, CA - Cal State Fullerton slugged three home runs on the day and a pair of Titans finished with two hits as the host school hung on for a 4-3 victory over New Mexico on day two of the 2008 Judi Garman Classic on Thursday afternoon at Anderson Family Field.

Fullerton snapped a three-game losing streak in improving to 15-13-1 overall on the season while the Lobos fell to 14-9.

Seniors Katie Gollhardt and Crystal Vieyra were joined by junior Lauren Lupinetti in leaving the yard to account for all of the Titans' runs on the day.

Vieyra's first home run of the season with two outs in the second inning got Cal State Fullerton out to the early lead, but New Mexico responded with the tying run in the third as Samantha Hughes drew a one-out walk, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball.

That brought up Sara Loeffelholz, who sent a single through the left side to plate Hughes to tie the game at 1-1.

Lupinetti then broke the tie with her third home run of the season in the fourth and added two more in the fifth on a two-run shot by Gollhardt - her team-leading fourth of the season - to make it 4-1.

The Titans looked like they would cruise from there, but the Lobos rallied back in the sixth with a pair of long balls of their own as Lindsey Elcess and Gabriella Parra hit back-to-back shots with two outs to close the gap to 4-3.

However, Fullerton starter Jessica Doucette (9-5) escaped any further damage, getting a strikeout to end the sixth and then allowed only a two-out single in the seventh before inducing a fly ball to Sammie Dabbs in centerfield to end the game.

Doucette allowed two earned runs on four hits, walking three and striking out eight in the complete-game victory. Kelly Ninemire suffered the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out four.

Sophomore Sheila Holguin finished 2-for-2 with a run scored and a sacrifice while Kiki Munoz doubled twice in three at-bats to pace the offense.

Cal State Fullerton returns to action on Friday afternoon (March 21) at 3:30 p.m. as the Titans take on Fresno State in their lone contest of the day.