Cal Poly Softball Produces 7-2, Nine-Inning Victory at Cal State Fullerton

Sunday, April 9

Fullerton, CA

1 pm

28-10, 4-2

Cal State Fullerton

20-18, 3-3

Cal Poly

Cal State Fullerton

Cal Poly Softball Produces 7-2, Nine-Inning Victory at Cal State Fullerton

4/9/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

FULLERTON – Senior righthander Sierra Hyland (above) tossed a complete-game, five-hitter with seven strikeouts Sunday afternoon and provided the decisive offensive blow with a run-scoring, sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning as the Cal Poly softball program closed a three-game series at Cal State Fullerton with a 7-2 triumph.

Cal Poly (28-10, 4-2) closed the seventh inning by stranding runners at the corner bases and, with the game tied 2-2 entering the eighth, the Mustangs stranded the bases loaded. However, Mustang senior second baseman Ashley Tornio led off the ninth with a bunt single before successive Titan fielding errors on bunt attempts by juniors Chelsea Convissar and Amanda Sandoval loaded the bases. Two batters later, Hyland produced a sacrifice fly to right field to score Tornio for a 3-2 lead.

Junior left fielder Courtney Tyler followed with a two-run double before freshman first baseman Hailey Martin swatted her first career home run to further Cal Poly's advantage to 7-2.

Hyland (17-6) returned in the bottom half of the ninth to retire the first two hitters she faced and, after walking Titan catcher Kyle Padilla, she became the first Mustang in program history to record three 200-strikeout seasons by fanning Cal State Fullerton pinch hitter Bryanna Ybarra to end the game.

With Sunday's win, Cal Poly moved into a first-place tie atop the Big West Conference standings alongside Long Beach State (16-20, 4-2) and CSUN (24-13, 4-2).

Cal Poly resumes Big West Conference action with a three-game, April 14-15 home series versus Long Beach State. The series at Bob Janssen Field gets underway with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Friday, April 14.

Cal Poly grabbed a 1-0 lead Sunday in the top of the first inning as Sandoval dropped a single into left field before Hyland tucked a run-scoring double inside the right field foul line.

Against Hyland, Cal State Fullerton placed the leadoff hitter on base in both of the first two innings but was denied a run each time. With two Titans on and zero outs in the first, Hyland struck out a pair of Cal State Fullerton hitters on the way to getting out of the jam. In the second, Titan catcher Kyle Padilla lined into a double play to erase second baseman Sydney Colenzo's leadoff single and Hyland struck out third baseman Emily Randall to preserve Cal Poly's 1-0 lead.

Hyland retired the Titans in order during the third and fourth innings but, in the fifth, Colenzo reached to lead off following a fielding error by Convissar at shortstop. Padilla followed with a sacrifice bunt before Titan pinch hitter Zoe Richard tied the matchup with a double to right center field. Two batters later, Titan right fielder Delynn Rippy untied it with a run-scoring, infield single.

Cal Poly, however, answered right back. Titan righthanded reliever Kelsey Kessler (11-6) struck Sandoval to lead off the sixth before Randall mishandled junior third baseman Stephanie Heyward's bunt attempt. With two Mustangs on and still no outs, Hyland lined a run-scoring double down the left field line to tie the game once more. Kessler recovered to induce a Tyler pop up. With one down, Martin flew out to Titan center fielder Ariana Williams and, after recording the out, Williams threw out Heyward at home attempting to deliver Cal Poly a 3-2 lead.