FULLERTON, Calif.-- CSU Bakersfield's softball team put up a pair of good fights against a strong Cal State Fullerton team, but the 'Runners fell on Wednesday night. The Titans swept the mid-week doubleheader in Fullerton.

“We're now competing at a leave that we have been striving for and that's what I want for the players,” said Crissy Buck-Ziegler, Bakersfield's Head Coach. “The players have confidence moving into conference and that's what I want. Even though we came out with two losses, they were two confidence-building losses.”

Buck-Ziegler had high praise for two of her standouts from Wednesday, Alex Simmons (Jr., Ontario, Calif., MT. SAC) and Madison Bundy (Sr., Anacortes, Wash., Oregon State). “Alex is one of the best defenders I have ever seen. The plays she makes, I haven't seen anybody make. Madi had to go back to basics. She came out early in the year and wanted to be something she wasn't and now she's just being Madison Bundy.” Bundy went 3-for-6 with an RBI on the day and has raised her batting average to .269 after a slow start.

Game 1 - Cal State Fullerton 4, CSUB 3

The 'Runners struck first with a two-run second inning. CSUB played pristine small ball as a single followed by a sacrifice bunt, a stolen base, and an RBI single from Bundy allowed Julea Cavazos (Fr., Temecula, Calif., Temecula Valley HS) to score. Bundy would later score from second on a close play at home thanks to Selena Gonzalez's (So., Manteca, Calif., San Joaquin Delta College) single to the outfield.

The 'Runners loaded the bases in the top of the third thanks to three singles. A groundout allowed one run to come around and score. CSUB took a 3-0 lead and would hold onto it until the sixth inning.

After allowing two hits to lead off the game, Kelsie Monroe (Sr., Los Banos, Calif., San Joaquin Delta College) retired 14 of the next 15 Titans. The senior pitcher rolled all the way into the bottom of the sixth when Cal State Fullerton finally caught up to her. Two walks, a double, a single, and a sacrifice fly allowed the Titans to tie the score at three runs apiece. Monroe proceeded to load the bases, but managed to retire the third out of the inning to keep the score tied.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, the Titans put runners on first and second thanks to back-to-back singles. A wild pitch would move both runners over one base and set up a bases-loaded situation for CSUF. Monroe hit the final batter of the game to bring the winning run across as CSUB fell 4-3.

Monroe sunk to 8-6 on the season while the 'Runners moved to 12-14 with the loss. As a team, all 10 hits for CSUB were singles while three 'Runners had two hits. The win allowed Cal State Fullerton to keep its seven-game win streak alive as the team improved to 21-12.

Game 2 - Cal State Fullerton 3, CSUB 1

The Titans got out to a quick start as Cal State Fullerton set up a bases-loaded opportunity with no outs in the bottom of the first inning. Sydney Raeber (Jr., Hanford, Calif., Hanford HS) allowed two walks to bring in two runs while retiring two Titans in the meantime.

After a double from Shianne Brannan, the Titans sacrificed to move her over to third with one out. Raeber induced a pop up and struck out a Titan for the final out of the inning to keep the score at 2-0.

CSUB got its first hit of the game in the top of the third inning when Bundy's hard-hit grounder was snagged by a diving second baseman but Bakersfield's senior legged out the hit. The 'Runners would move her to second with a sacrifice but eventually stranded Bundy.

Despite struggling in the first inning, Raeber pitched well as the junior scattered three hits over the next three innings. The Titans added another run to the scoreboard in the fifth inning thanks to Brannan's RBI single. CSUF would take a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning.

The 'Runners would not go down without a fight as they started a two-out rally in the top of the seventh. An error followed by a single from Bundy allowed CSUB to get a run when Ashley Carter (Sr., Tehachapi, Calif., Tehachapi HS) singled to right field. The Titans would shut the game down after that, but CSUB's effort was strong. Raeber finished the game with a line of six innings pitched, seven hits, three runs, four walks, and four strikeouts.

With the loss CSUB fell to 12-15 while CSUF improved to 22-12 with an eight-game win streak. The 'Runners will return to the Roadrunner Softball Complex to open Western Athletic Conference play this weekend. CSUB will host Missouri-Kansas City for three games with a doubleheader scheduled for Friday and a single game on Saturday. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 12 p.m. while Saturday's game will begin at 1 p.m. in Bakersfield.

~GoRunners.com~