Melissa Sechrest got one hit, two runs and an RBI in the Titans’ opening game of the Louisville Sluggers Invitational against Utah Valley.
(Patrick Do / Daily Titan Stock Photo)
The Cal State Fullerton softball team will look to sustain its dominant form Tuesday as it hosts the Yale University Bulldogs and the Princeton University Tigers in a double-header.
CSUF (18-8 overall) is coming off an impressive showing at the Louisville Sluggers Invitational in Long Beach this past weekend, where the team won all five of its games. Fullerton has been impressive at home to start the season, with an 8-3 record at Anderson Family Field.
Throughout the Louisville Sluggers Invitational, the Titan pitching staff was rock solid, allowing just five runs in the five-game stretch.
On Friday, the Fullerton bats were red-hot as CSUF took its first game against Utah Valley by a score of 9-2. The effort included a four-run outburst in the fourth inning and five runs in the sixth inning, as all starters notched at least one hit each.
Saturday’s doubleheader between Mississippi State and Princeton saw the Titans grab consecutive victories, winning 2-0 and 4-0, respectively. Senior southpaw Desiree Ybarra was dominant in the circle against Mississippi State, throwing a complete-game shutout.
The Titans completed the five-game sweep Sunday with victories against Iowa State and Mississippi State. In its win over Iowa State, CSUF entered the top of the seventh down 1-0, only to come back and win the game 2-1.
Entering Tuesday’s matchups against Yale and Princeton, the Titan pitching staff posted an impressive 2.83 earned run average. Ybarra has led the team in the circle with an outstanding 2.26 ERA in 62 innings pitched.
Freshman righty Sydney Golden has shined for Fullerton, as well, logging in an impressive 9-2 record and a 2.55 ERA through 57.2 innings.
The Titan offense is batting .298 and has scored 130 runs entering Tuesday’s doubleheader. Sophomore outfielder Samantha Vandiver is leading the team in runs scored with 20 and is boasting an impressive .322 batting average through 26 games.
Yale (2-7 overall) has struggled to begin the season, dropping its last three contests. The Bulldogs have been stagnant offensively, entering their match with CSUF batting .244 collectively, with no homeruns.
Princeton (3-9 overall) has not fared any better to start the season, as it has dropped all three games it played at the Louisville Slugger Invitational. The Bulldogs pitching rotation owns a mediocre 3.77 ERA, which has allowed their opponents to bat an average of .279.
The Titans will kick off Tuesday’s doubleheader at Anderson Family Field against Yale at 4 p.m., followed by a matchup with Princeton at 6 p.m.