NCAA Softball : Fullerton Sweeps Series From Central Michigan

Cal State Fullerton followed a familiar pattern in beating Central Michigan, 5-0, in NCAA first-round play Friday at Titan Field.

Fullerton scored early, then relied on the capable arm of Susan LeFebvre (22-5) to win the best-of-three series, 2-0.

The victory lifted the Titans into the College World Series, which begins Wednesday at Omaha, Neb. Fullerton (51-8) will face Adelphi (36-13), which advanced by beating Penn State.

The Titans scored all the runs they needed in the second inning, building a 4-0 lead. LeFebvre, who threw a two hitter, struck out eight and walked two.

Central Michigan lost Thursday by an identical 5-0 score in the first game Thursday. The Chippewas managed just two hits off Debbie Mygind Thursday.

Despite easy victories, Titan Coach Judi Garman said her team didn’t take Central Michigan lightly.

“You can play games where everything falls in the the other team’s gloves,” Garman said. “There’s always a concern that you won’t hit the ball where they aren’t.”

As it turned out, hitting was not a concern for Garman or the Titans in this series.

Thursday night, left fielder Terri Oberg hit a three-run homer to pace the Titans’ seven-hit performance.

In Friday’s game, the Titans again had seven hits, two by third baseman JoAnn Ferrieri.

With one out in the second inning, shortstop Lisa Noriega reached on an infield single. Maridee Richards and Valerie Van Kirk also singled to load the bases. Two runs scored when Kelly Eldred threw wildly to home on Leslie King’s ground ball.

Lisa Baker singled home Van Kirk, and Ferrieri’s sacrifice fly scored King, who had gone to third on Baker’s single.

The Titans scored again in the seventh when first baseman Robin Goodin singled home Corina Smith.