Mustangs Hit Three Homers, but Drop Doubleheader at Cal State Fullerton

Sunday, April 26

Fullerton, CA

11 am

22-26, 5-9

Cal State Fullerton

29-20, 7-7

Cal Poly

Cal St. Fullerton

Mustangs Hit Three Homers, but Drop Doubleheader at Cal State Fullerton

4/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

FULLERTON, Calif. – Freshman shortstop Chelsea Convissar (right) belted her first home run of Sunday afternoon in game No. 1 of a doubleheader versus Cal State Fullerton, but the Cal Poly softball program fell in the opener, 4-1. Convissar, along with freshman center fielder Amanda Sandoval, added seventh-inning homers in game No. 2, but Cal Poly also dropped the ESPN3-broadcasted, series-closing matchup, 6-3.

During Sunday's opening game at Anderson Family Field – postponed from Saturday due to rain – Mustang starting righthander Sierra Hyland (17-17) kept Cal State Fullerton to a pair of hits until Titan center fielder Courtney Rodriguez led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a home run to left center field.

Cal State Fullerton (30-20, 8-7) then secured a 4-0 lead with a three-run fifth inning. With one out, Titan third baseman Missy Taukeiaho followed singles by pinch hitter Paige Kisling and left fielder Samantha Vandiver with a two-run double to right center. Two Titans later and with two down, designated player Sarah Moore singled home Rodriguez for the four-run advantage.

The Mustangs (22-27, 5-10), held to just one hit by Titan starting lefthander Cerissa Rivera (2-1) during the opening five innings, eventually broke through with two down in the sixth as Convissar looped her second career homer over the left field wall to cut Cal Poly's deficit to 4-1.

That, however, was the extent of Cal Poly's offense as the Mustangs were retired in order in the seventh.

Hyland, who struck out three, but allowed seven hits, suffered the loss for Cal Poly

During Sunday's second game, Cal State Fullerton grabbed another early lead through a home run as Titan first baseman Melissa Sechrest led off the bottom half of the second with a solo shot to right center field.

Cal Poly, which stranded six baserunners in game No. 2, enjoyed its best chance to equalize early in the top of the third when Sandoval and senior left fielder Emily Ceccacci each singled before both moving into scoring position. Titan starting righthander Christina Washington (15-6), however, forced groundouts from Convissar and sophomore right fielder Courtney Tyler to keep Cal Poly scoreless.

Cal State Fullerton responded in the fourth by doubling its lead through a second leadoff home run from Sechrest.

Cal state Fullerton added its final runs of the day in the fifth, directed by run-scoring hits from Rodriguez and pinch hitter Gabrielle Rodas and a two-run single down the left field line by second baseman Samantha Galarza.

Seeking the shutout, Washington earned two quick Cal Poly outs in the top of the seventh inning before Sandoval drove her third homer of 2015 over the left field wall. Ceccacci then doubled to set up Convissar, who hit her second homer of Sunday to left field to halve Cal State Fullerton's lead at 6-3.

With Rivera on in relief, however, Tyler popped out to end the series.

Freshman righthander Lindsay Chalmers (5-9) took the loss in game No. 2 for Cal Poly after conceding nine hits in four and two-thirds innings of action.

With two Big West Conference series remaining, Cal Poly closes the home portion of its 2015 schedule at Bob Janssen Field when hosting Long Beach State for a three-game May 2-3 set. The series opens with a 12 noon doubleheader on Saturday, May 2. Game No. 1 of that doubleheader will be televised live on ESPNU.