CSUF softball, the defending Big West champions, finished out the Titan Classic by completing five games in four days with a 4-1 record.
Multiple games were also finished with a one run differential.
“Our theme is to be one pitch warriors. We really don’t look at the weekend as five games in front of us, we focus on just one pitch”, said Head Coach Kelly Ford.
Third baseman Deshea Hill had a productive weekend going 5-14 in five games, picking up three RBIs and a home run. Irie Siofelle pitched in 5-11 with six RBIs and two home runs.
The season opener saw CSUF on Thursday night defeat Idaho State 3-2. Taylor Dockins got the start for the Titans, pitching two innings and allowing one run and two hits.
The Titans answered back in the bottom of the second when Daisy Munoz hit a fly ball to left field to bring home Janelle Rodriguez.
Idaho temporarily took the lead in the fifth, but it was short lived as Deshea Hill hit a home run that same inning.
Both teams headed into the final inning tied 2-2. With two on and no outs, Hill hit a line drive to right field to score Alexa Neil for the walk-off victory.
Sophie Frost was ultimately the one who earned the victory, throwing the last five innings for CSUF.
Day two presented a double-header against Buffalo and Louisville.
Pitcher Dani Martinez made her collegiate debut for the Titans, striking out eight Buffalo batters.
Iris Siofele got the Titans rolling early with a solo home run in the first inning. They built upon their lead in the fourth adding two runs off a Buffalo error that scored Paola Villegas followed by a RBI single by Janelle Rodriguez.
Down 4-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Titans rallied back to tie the game and sent it into extra innings. Ari Williams scored the tying run with an RBI single that brought Neil home.
Rodriguez clinched the victory for the Titans with an RBI line drive.
The Titans were dealt their first loss of the season by Louisville 9-0 on Friday via the run rule. Louisville pitcher Danielle Watson tossed a complete game, allowing one hit and while recording nine strikeouts.
CSUF snuck past Utah State 3-2 on Saturday. The Titans’ jumped out to an early lead in the first inning on a groundout RBI by Hill that brought Neil home.
Frost came in as relief for Dockins and tossed the final five innings to earn her second win of the season.
Utah State turned the pressure on CSUF in the sixth inning after hitting a two-run home run. Frost was able to close out the rest of the game to win the third match of the weekend.
Martinez stepped back into the pitching circle for her second career start in the Classic finale against the University of Pacific, allowing two hits in six innings.
Neil got the offense started with a leadoff single and a steal that was the result of a wild pitch. Hill got the bases loaded for the Titans on a fielder’s choice. With bases loaded, Richard hit an RBI sacrifice fly to right field to bring Neil home for the early lead in the first inning.
The Titans put their first two batters on base after a pair of errors by Pacific’s infielders in the second inning. CSUF saw bases loaded once again after Neil was walked, allowing Siofele to score a grand slam.
Infielder Evelyn Sablan called the game early in the sixth inning when she hit a home run towards left rule, putting into effect the mercy rule.
“There’s no staying the same once season starts. We’re looking at ways to improve little piece of our games,” Ford said.
The post CSUF softball shines in Titan Classic appeared first on Daily Titan.