No. 3 Titans to Host Long Beach in NCAA Softball Regional : Fullerton: It’s the third consecutive year the two teams have met in the regionals.

The Cal State Fullerton women’s softball team, ranked third in the nation, will play host to 18th-ranked Cal State Long Beach this weekend in a best-of-three NCAA Regional series, with the winner advancing to the College World Series.

It will mark the third consecutive year that the Titans and 49ers have met in the regionals. Long Beach swept Fullerton in two games in 1989, and the 49ers won two of three last season to advance to the College World Series.

But Fullerton will be the favorite when the teams play at 7:30 Friday night and 1 p.m. Saturday at the Titan Sports Complex. A third game will follow Saturday afternoon if necessary.

The Titans (52-14-1) are 5-0 against the 49ers (36-26) this season, with four of the victories coming in Big West Conference play and one in the Arizona Tournament.

The Titans went 26-9-1 in conference, finishing behind champion Fresno State. The 49ers were 17-19 in the Big West.

The winner of the two-team regional, one of eight regionals in the 20-team NCAA tournament, will travel to Oklahoma City May 22-26 and open the College World Series against Iowa, Southern Illinois or Missouri, who are competing in a three-team regional.