College Softball World Series : Fullerton Gets Past Florida State, 3-0

Defending champion Cal State Fullerton defeated Florida State, 3-0, Thursday night in the first round of the eight-team, double-elimination College Softball World Series.

Connie Clark (32-3) pitched a three-hit shutout to lead the top-ranked Titans (58-8), who will play Texas A&M; tonight in the second round. Texas A&M; advanced by defeating Central Michigan, 3-0.

Florida State (50-13) plays Central Michigan.

The Seminoles’ starting pitcher, Julie Larsen, from Huntington Beach Marina High School, held Fullerton hitless for the first three innings.

But in the fourth, Fullerton scored two runs--one of them unearned--on three hits. With two out, freshman Tiny Glomboske and senior Lisa Baker each singled. Missy Coombes, another freshman, drove in Glomboske with a bloop single that dropped in between shortstop Tiffany Daniels and second baseman Suzanne Cooper.

Baker, who had gone to third on the play, scored on the next pitch--a passed ball by catcher Carolyn Fiero with Michelle Gromacki at the plate.

Fullerton added another run in the fifth, when Chenita Rogers singled, driving in Alani Silva, who had singled and gone to second on Cheryl Dazalla’s sacrifice bunt.