College Softball Roundup : Titans Split a Pair With No. 1 UCLA

Cal State Fullerton’s softball team spoiled UCLA’s first day as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation and tarnished the Bruins’ impressive statistics during a doubleheader split Tuesday at Fullerton.

The third-ranked Titans (41-11) knocked around All-American pitcher Lisa Longaker for six runs in a 7-6 victory in the 15-inning first game and scored an earned run against Tiffany Boyd for only the fourth time this season in a 2-1 loss in the nine-inning second game. UCLA is 33-4.

In all, it took more than six hours to decide the games.

“That’s what has been impressing us the most lately. They really have been playing tough games,” Fullerton Coach Judi Garman said. “Tonight we had our two toughest games of the season.”

Carey Hess decided the first game in the 15th inning, driving a single to left to drive in Anjie Bryant from second base for a 7-6 victory.

Longaker (14-1) went four innings, allowing eight hits and six runs (four earned), damaging her 0.21 earned-run average and the team’s 0.20 ERA. Losing pitcher Samantha Ford picked up in the fifth and allowed one run over the next 10 2/3.

Bryant (23-4) pitched a complete game, giving up 15 hits and six earned runs. In fact, she seemed headed toward a 6-4 victory, when Janice Parks hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh that tied the score until the 15th.

The hitting continued in the second game, as UCLA scored in the first before Boyd, the former Woodbridge High School star, allowed a run on two hits. Boyd had allowed three earned runs in 97 innings for a 0.22 ERA coming into the game.

But Boyd (13-2) and Ann Van Dortrecht settled down until the tie-breaking rule, which starts the inning with a runner on second, was used in the eighth inning. UCLA broke through in the ninth as Yvonne Gutierrez scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Bea Chiaravanont.

“I can’t believe where we are,” Garman said. “We’re ranked No. 3 and we just knocked off the No. 1 team.”

Southern California College 1-1, Christ College Irvine 0-0 (first game 8 innings)--Susie Hopkins pitched two shutouts as the Vanguards (18-22, 5-11) swept at Southern California College. In the first game, Hopkins (15-15) pitched a two-hitter, striking out eight. Linda Bilyeu drove in the game-winning run with an RBI single in the eighth. In the second game, Hopkins pitched a four-hitter for the victory. The Vanguards won the game in the bottom of the seventh as Stacey Mounce led off with a double, was sacrificed to third, and scored on a single by Christy George.