NCAA SOFTBALL REGIONALS : Titan Freshman Drives In Winning Runs

Jennifer Shuey, a freshman outfielder who was almost redshirted this season, singled home two runs in the bottom of the 10th inning Friday night to give the Cal State Fullerton softball team a 3-2 victory over Cal State Long Beach in an NCAA Regional playoff game.

The 49ers (36-27) had scored in the top of the 10th to take a 2-1 lead, but Mich DeBree doubled to start the Titan rally in the bottom of the 10th.

After Jill Matyuch flied to center, Joy Tiner’s grounder glanced off Long Beach third baseman Heather Illsley’s glove for an error. Kelly Hunt, who had three hits, chopped a grounder between third and short that shortstop Kim Kostyk fielded, but Kostyk’s dive to third in attempt to force DeBree was late.

Shuey then slapped Mary Letourneau’s first pitch down the right-field line, scoring DeBree and Tiner with the tying and winning runs. Fullerton (53-14-1) can clinch a College World Series berth by defeating Long Beach once today when the best-of-three series resumes at 1 p.m.

“I am too old for this--do you want me to spell old,” Titan Coach Judi Garman said. “My heart can’t take this.”

Garman considered taking Shuey off the active roster after the Poway High School graduate separated her shoulder in March. But Shuey had played in more than 20% of the Titans’ games already, putting her over the NCAA’s limit for medical redshirt status.

Shuey returned to the lineup May 1 and had the game-winning hit in a 17-inning victory over Utah State last weekend. She came up with some more late-inning heroics Friday night.

“She’s come back from her shoulder separation with a vengeance,” Garman said. “Thank God we didn’t redshirt her.”

Fullerton pitcher Tiffany Boyd went the distance on a seven-hitter and struck out nine but had to overcome a defensive lapse to improve to 33-6.

After loading the bases with one out in the top of the 10th inning, Long Beach’s Stacy Van Essen lined a ball to short center field that K.C. Clark caught.

Brigit Tapp didn’t attempt to tag up and score from third on the play, but when Clark threw to second in an attempt to double off Kostyk, Tapp broke for home and scored well ahead of Titan shortstop Matyuch’s throw to the plate. Illsley then popped to second to end the inning.

“We got careless there,” Garman said. “One run is usually the difference in this game.”

The Titans scored their other run in the first inning. Matyuch singled, advanced to second on Tiner’s single and came home when Tapp bobbled Hunt’s single to right field.

After that, no Fullerton runner advanced past second until the bottom of the 10th.

Long Beach tied the game in the fourth on Gia Wilkerson’s two-out, RBI single to right-center field scored Van Essen. Van Essen had led off with a single, was sacrificed to second by Illsley and advanced to third on a passed ball.

The 49ers loaded the bases with one out in the sixth on Van Nessen’s fielder’s choice, Illsley’s double and an intentional walk to Linda Lunceford. The first pitch to Wilkerson got by catcher Kim Powers, but Van Nessen didn’t attempt to score.

Boyd then got Wilkerson to pop lightly to first and struck out Lisa Wilson to end the threat.