Aggie softball swept in home opener against No. 7 Cal State Titans
Cal State Fullerton’s league-leading offense was in high gear as the Titans continued their Big West Conference softball dominance, sweeping three games from Utah State University.
The No. 7 Titans spoiled any prospects of a happy homecoming for the Aggies, jumping out in the first inning of Utah State’s home opener Friday at LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field.
The second batter of the game, CSF catcher Jenny Topping, knocked the ball over the left field fence to put Fullerton up 1-0.
“It was a real dirty hit I thought,” Aggie catcher Breanne Smith said. “It was an off-speed pitch and she wasn’t expecting it. She just kind of stuck her bat out.”
Still in the first, right fielder Jodie Cox knocked in the Titan’s second, and final, run of the game with an RBI double.
Though the Aggie defense and pitching solidified and didn’t allow a run the remainder of the game, Utah State’s hitters were unable to do any damage against Titan pitcher Gina Oaks.
Oaks was nearly perfect in the game, throwing a no-hitter while striking out nine and allowing only two walks.
Pitcher Kristin Hommel took the 2-0 loss for the Aggies, allowing three hits and six walks, while striking out six.
“Hommel pitched awesome, she threw great all game,” Smith said. “We just need to get some runs to back our pitchers up.”
The second game of Friday’s doubleheader didn’t go any better for the Aggies. After Fullerton scored one run in the first, they were held in check until the third when their offense exploded.
A combination of walks, Aggie errors and base hits led to a scoring flurry of eight runs. Freshman pitcher Lindsay Janssen, USU’s starting pitcher for the game, was relieved by Xochitl Ramirez who ended the inning, but not before the Titans were ahead 9-0.
“We let one mistake turn into five and we had a freshman pitcher that needed to learn when defenses make errors and you’re doing a great job, you need to keep doing a great job,” Aggie Head Coach Debbie Bilbao said.
Utah State earned two runs back in the bottom the inning, but any attempt at a comeback was stifled when the Titans scored a pair in the top of the fourth.
A two-run home run by Titan freshman Heather Saltarelli, Fullerton’s 43rd long ball of the season, made the score 11-2 and the game was called after five innings.
“We just let things snowball,” Bilbao said. “It wasn’t that we’re that bad, we just let things snowball.
“Mentally we’re not as tough as we need to be,” she said. “I think they put too much pressure on themselves. I can handle the physical errors, but our kids haven’t quite learned how to rebound from making an error.”
The Aggies had a third chance at Fullerton Saturday, but big innings early in the game gave CSF an edge.
The Titans scored five runs in the first, two in the second, five more in third and a final run in the fourth for a 13-0 victory. The game was also called after five innings.
On the mound for USU, Hommel got in trouble early and was pulled with just one out in the first inning. Janssen replaced Hommel and lasted until the third when Ramirez replaced her.
“They’re good hitters, and anytime you face good hitters like that, even if you’re just a centimeter off, they’re going to make you pay for it,” Hommel said.
Pitcher Christy Robitaille went all five innings for CSF, allowing only three hits.
Cox went 3 for 3 in three innings, driving in seven runs and scoring twice. She had two two-run doubles and a three-run triple.
“I was seeing [the ball] well and I just felt really relaxed,” Cox said. “Obviously it was one of my better days. It felt good.”
Fullerton, leading the league with a 1.44 ERA and .279 batting average, is now 33-9, 9-0 in conference.
The Aggies dropped to 3-28 overall and 0-6 in conference.
Leading into their match-up with Fullerton, the Aggies played two non-conference games at BYU Wednesday.
In the first Utah State went up 1-0, but a three-run fourth and four-run sixth put BYU ahead and gave them the 7-1 victory. The Aggies out hit BYU 8-6 in the game.
The second game turned into the Aggies’ third extra-inning game in six games as the Aggies fell 9-8 in eight innings. Again the Aggies out hit BYU, this time 10-9.
“When you generate that much offense you have to play defense,” Bilbao said. “I thought the pitching was pretty descent, but we didn’t play defense at BYU. Had we done that we would have won.”
Utah State, now in the midst of an 11-game homestand, will be back in action Tuesday against in-state rival University of Utah.
Bilbao said to be successful against Utah the Aggies must put together a complete game.
“We have to do all three things,” she said. “We have to pitch well, we have to play defense and we have to hit the ball. It’s that simple.”
Hommel said, “I’m really glad we have that game. It’s a good time to work on the little things that maybe in conference you can’t really work on in the game.”
Hommel said she is also looking forward to continuing playing at home.
“Playing at home is fun,” she said. “Having your crowd, being on your own field and having your own bed – it’s wonderful.”
The game will begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday on LaRee and LeGrand Johnson field.