Mustangs Look to Climb Back into Title Race at Cal State Fullerton

Saturday, April 30

Fullerton, CA

1 p.m.

Cal State Fullerton

Photo by: Eyasu Betwos

Mustangs Look to Climb Back into Title Race at Cal State Fullerton

4/27/2022 11:25:00 AM | Softball

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Sitting four games behind Big West leader Cal State Fullerton in the conference standings with nine games remaining in the regular season, the Cal Poly softball program has the opportunity to close the gap on the Titans when visiting Anderson Family Field for a Saturday, April 30 doubleheader and Monday, May 1 single matchup. First pitch each day is 1 p.m. for Cal Poly (16-23, 11-7), which – having won 10 of its last 12 games – slipped to fourth place in the Big West standings with a 4-1 home setback to Long Beach State (April 24). Winners of six straight games, Cal State Fullerton (31-15, 15-3) leads second place Long Beach State (23-19, 13-5) by two games and third place Hawai'i (18-15, 12-6) by three games. After dropping eight of its last nine meetings against Cal State Fullerton, Cal Poly seeks its first series win versus the Titans since taking two of three road matchups in 2017. The Big West's top hitting program, Cal State Fullerton ranks 39th among NCAA Division I programs with a .301 team batting average.

FOLLOW CAL POLY THIS WEEK: ESPN+ coverage and live stats for each series matchup at Cal State Fullerton will be available via GoPoly.com HERE.

CAL POLY VERSUS CAL STATE FULLERTON: Swept by the Titans at home last season and on the road in 2019, Cal Poly looks to snap a six-game slide versus Cal State Fullerton. The Titans have captured the last three series after taking two of three games at Cal Poly in 2018. Cal Poly, which trails in the all-time series, 53-31, since the first meeting on March 4, 1980, has won just one of the last six series after prevailing in two of three road matchups in 2017.

CLOSE, BUT …: Thirteen of Cal Poly's 39 games – 33 percent – have been decided by a single run with the Mustangs holding just a 3-10 mark in such matchups. Cal Poly's three one-run victories include a 2-1 home triumph against Nevada (March 12), a 7-6 home win versus UC Santa Barbara (April 2) and 8-7 decision at Hawai'i (April 9).

BIG WEST BATTING RACE TAKES SHAPE: With Cal Poly featuring the Big West's top two hitters, freshman left fielder Jessica Clements ranks 63rd among NCAA Division I batters with a .405 (53-for-131) mark while senior shortstop Maddie Amos sits 96th with a .392 (49-for-125) average. Clements currently features the fifth highest single season average in program history while Amos is eighth.

AMOS ROUNDING OFF STANDOUT CAREER: Cal Poly's second leading hitter and ranked 96th among NCAA Division I players with a .392 (49-for-125) average, senior shortstop Maddie Amos enters the April 30-May 1 series at Cal State Fullerton having hit safely in 24 of her last 29 outings. The Big West's leader with 38 RBI and 82 total bases after matching an NCAA single game record with two grand slams at CSU Bakersfield (April 16), Amos also ranks second with a .656 slugging percentage, third with seven homers and fourth with 10 doubles and 49 hits. Owner of 13 multi-hit games (including a four-hit performance at Hawai'i on April 8 and three further three-hit efforts), Amos – the March 7, April 11 and April 18 Big West Field Player of the Week honoree – has struck out just 12 times in 141 plate appearances, averaging one every 10.4 at-bats. Ranked ninth in program history with a .325 (122-for-375) career batting average, Amos has started 129 of a possible 146 games during her career and all 74 since the start of the 2021 season.

CAREER DAY: With two grand slams and eight RBI during Cal Poly's 14-2, five-inning victory at CSU Bakersfield (April 16), senior shortstop Maddie Amos …
– Tied an NCAA single game record with two grand slams;
– Set a new program single game record with eight RBI;
– Tied a Big West Conference record eight RBI;
– Became the sixth Division I player during the 2022 season with eight RBI.

CLEMENTS DEBUT A HIT: Having hit safely 29 times and Cal Poly's leader with 16 multi-hit games – including career best four-hit outings against San Diego State (Feb. 13), San Jose State (Feb. 25), at Hawai'i (April 9) and at CSU Bakersfield (April 16) – freshman left fielder Jessica Clements ranks 63rd among NCAA Division I batters with a .405 (53-for-131) batting average. Having reached base in 11 straight games, Clements ranks second among Big West players with 53 hits and fourth with 32 runs. The Feb. 14 and April 11 Big West Freshman Player of the Week honoree, Clements is one of four Mustangs to start all 39 games this season alongside senior shortstop Maddie Amos, senior designated player Lily Amos and junior second baseman Xiara Diaz.

JUDY MAKES HER MARK: Seventh among Big West pitchers with a team leading 73 strikeouts following a career high 12-strikeout performance at Hawai'i (April 8), freshman righthander Kate Judy has allowed just 10 earned runs in her last 26.1 innings. Judy, who also struck out 10 Nevada hitters during a March 13 loss, has produced all six of her victories this season in her last nine appearances.

ALLMAN IN THE CIRCLE: With just 24 earned runs conceded in her last 51.0 innings, senior lefthander Krystyna Allman ranks second among Big West pitchers with 21 starts, third with nine complete games and eighth with a 2.81 ERA and 107.0 innings pitched. Having struck out a season best 10 CSU Bakersfield hitters on April 15 and nine Penn batters on March 5, Allman's ERA hasn't surged above 3.00 through a team leading 25 appearances.

SIBLINGS IN THE FOLD: Among the 293 Division I programs for the 2022 season, Cal Poly – alongside Indiana State and IUPUI – is one of three teams to feature two pairs of siblings on the roster. Only UNC-Wilmington, with three pairs, features more. With seniors Maddie and Lily Amos each starting all 39 games, freshman third baseman Caroline Allman – a starter in 11 of 24 appearances – has entered the lineup alongside senior lefthander Krystyna Allman.

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP: Three of Cal Poly's opening 13 games occurred versus programs ranked or receiving votes in the Feb. 15 edition of the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. After falling against Stanford (receiving votes) on Feb. 13, the Mustangs sustained setbacks versus No. 5 UCLA (March 3) and No. 23 Arizona State (March 4).

CAL POLY SELECTED SIXTH IN BIG WEST POLL: Earning one first-place vote in the 2022 Big West Preseason Coaches Poll, Cal Poly was selected for a sixth-place finish following Monday's release. The Mustangs, who finished seventh in the standings last year, earned 42 votes in Monday's poll to finish seven points behind Hawai'i and UC San Diego and one point ahead of UC Santa Barbara. Cal State Fullerton was selected first in the poll with 77 points and five of 10 first-place votes.

LOOKING AHEAD (MAY 6-7): Cal Poly completes its 18-game home schedule at Bob Janssen Field when hosting UC Davis for a Friday, May 6 doubleheader at 3 p.m. and Saturday, May 7 single matchup at 1 p.m. Welcoming UC Davis for the first time since 2018, Cal Poly has won five of the last six series versus the Aggies.