NCAA Softball Playoffs : Thompson Blanks Titans for Pomona’s 1-0 Victory

Cal Poly Pomona’s Lori Thompson didn’t do the best job of keeping the runners off the bases Friday night against Cal State Fullerton. But then that isn’t her specialty.

Her specialty--she has a 64-inning scoreless streak that attests to it--is keeping those runners from making it home.

In the first game of a best-of-three National Collegiate Athletic Assn. regional series against the Titans, Thompson pitched a 10-inning shutout for a 1-0 victory Friday at the Titan Softball Complex.

The series continues at 1 p.m. today, with a second game if necessary. The winner of the series advances to the College World Series at Sunnyvale next week.

Fullerton’s Anjie Bryant (25-6) did a commendable job of keeping the Broncos at bay too. She allowed only one hit in the first nine innings, a sixth-inning double to first baseman Nicky Luce, a former Cypress High School player.

Fullerton had its best chance to score in the third inning, when the Titans loaded the bases with two out on two singles and a hit batter. But Missy Coombes popped up the first pitch to end the inning.

When the game reached the 10th inning still tied, the NCAA’s tiebreaker rule went into effect, putting a runner on second to start the inning.

That’s a rule neither Fullerton Coach Judi Garman nor Pomona Coach Carol Spanks is particularly fond of.

So with Shellie McCall at second to start the 10th, Bryant faced Holly DeLuca, who hit a ball back to the mound. Bryant looked to third and checked the runner a bit too long before going to first, and DeLuca beat the throw. Lori Thomas then hit a ball off Bryant’s glove to second. She was out at first, but the runners moved to second and third with one out. The next batter was pinch-hitter Caryn Askey, who hadn’t gotten a hit as a pinch-hitter all year. She lined a hit into center field, scoring McCall. Fullerton got out of the inning on shortstop Jill Matyuch’s double play off a line drive, but the damage was done.

Fullerton didn’t fare so well in the bottom of the inning. The Titans moved the runner from second to third on Matyuch’s bunt, but Thompson (20-7) got Mich DeBree to pop to first, and then struck out pinch-hitter Ann Van Dortrecht.

For the Titans (47-13), it was a difficult way to end a well-played game. “It’s frustrating,” Bryant said.