Marzolo Pushes Titans With Finesse and Power

Dara Marzolo squeezed home the winning run in the first game and hit two home runs in the second game to lead Cal State Fullerton to 3-1 and 2-0 victories over New Mexico State in a Big West Conference softball doubleheader Saturday at Fullerton.

The first-place Titans (42-11, 17-3) extended their lead in the conference standings to two games over Long Beach State (37-19, 15-5) with four to play. Fullerton has won 12 games in a row, its longest win streak of the season.

Marzolo hit her fourth and fifth homers of the year in the fourth and sixth innings of the second game off Amber Moser (16-18), who lost both games. Gina Oaks (14-3) pitched a five-hit shutout.

In the opener, Yasmin Mossadeghi hit her team-leading 11th home run to tie the score, 1-1, in the second inning. Marzolo put the Titans ahead, 2-1, with a bunt in the third inning that scored Michelle Lehr, who had reached on an error and advanced on a single by Kristy Osborne and a force play at second base.

Brenda Iglesias’ double off the glove of New Mexico right fielder Chris Stephens drove in the third run in the fifth inning and made Jodie Cox (16-3) a winner.

The Roadrunners (26-29, 9-11) scored their only run in the first inning. Lizette Olivares beat out a grounder to short, stole second and third and came home when Lehr threw the ball into left field.

The teams complete the three-game series at 2 p.m. today.

In nonconference softball:

Chapman 4-5, UC San Diego 2-1--The visiting Panthers (32-9) took a 4-0 lead in the first inning with three singles, a walk and a three-run double by Molly Beckett and went on to complete the sweep, making them the favorites to host next week’s NCAA Division III regional. Tiffany Hoskins pitched a seven-hitter and gave up one earned run.

In the first game, Chapman took advantage of two San Diego errors in the seventh inning to erase a 2-0 deficit with four unearned runs.

Linsey Buendia pitched a three-hitter and did not give up an earned run.

In the UC San Diego baseball tournament:

Chapman splits--Still alive for an at-large spot in the NCAA Division III baseball playoffs, the Panthers split two games in the UC San Diego Triton Classic. In the first round-robin game, Chapman beat La Verne, 5-4, on Alex Taylor’s two-run home run in the seventh. Host UC San Diego beat the Panthers (26-10-9) in the second game, 14-3. Starting pitcher Andrew Tisdale (2-4) could not retire any of the nine batters he faced in San Diego’s 11-run first inning.