LEAPING FOR JOY - GOING TO STATE!

After taking a 3-1 loss on Friday against No. 9 Cerritos College, the No. 1 Hornets responded on Saturday with two straight wins in round two the 3C2A Regionals defeating the Falcons 4-2 and 7-1.

Taking both games on Saturday keeps the season rolling for Fullerton as the team qualifies for the 3C2A State Tournament to be held at West Valley College May 16-19 (May 17th at San Jose City College).

The last time the Hornets played in the state tournament under coaches Crystal Aguirre and Marian Mendoza was in 2019, when the team finished 4th overall. Prior to that, FC had last gone to the big dance 2005 under then head coach Lisa Bassi. Fullerton College has been in to the state tournament a total of 10 times winning it all in 1980 under Coach Margo Davis. Before there was a state tournament, Fullerton had won the Southern California title (SCCIAC Championship) two straight seasons in 1974 and 1975 under Coach Colleen Riley. 

This 2024 Hornet squad also achieved a 40-win season, which has only been done one other time in the history of the program. In 1988, Margo Davis' FC team went 41-10 to finish 7th at the state tournament.

In Saturday's first game of the day (game two of the series), the Hornets came out firing with two runs in the first inning on a Veronica Moore single to left field that scored Jordan Elias and a Serina Vue triple to right field that scored Moore. Cerritos clapped back in the second inning to tie the game up with two runs. Jazmine Macias hit a single to right field plating Morgan Fontela and Ayiana Cardenas. Milene Mendoza stepped up the the plate in the fourth inning hitting a game-changing double to deep left field that brought in Angelina Granado. FC went up 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth after taking advantage of a Cerritos error that gave Coco Siono the chance to go home. Allyson Fuentes (18-2) was strong throwing a complete game allowing 8 hits, 2 earned runs, with a walk, and 4 strikeouts.

Thirty minutes later, the third and final game of the series began with Fullerton ripping off two runs in the second inning on another big double by Milene Mendoza that brought in Coco Siono and Serina Vue. Fullerton added two more runs in the third when Alyssa Garcia grounded out to short allowing the quick-footed Haley Garcia to sprint home. Serina Vue then singled to left field plating pinch runner Caitlyn Stear. The Hornets took hold of the game with a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth when Milene Mendoza struck yet again with another two-run double that scored Coco Siono and Serina Vue. Cassidy Hornung put the cherry on top with a double that brought home Mendoza. The Falcon's lone run came in the top of the seventh on an impressive home run that sailed over the left field fence by Marley Manalo. Like in game two, Allyson Fuentes pitched another complete game, but this time she allowed only 3 hits. Fuentes made the one mistake allowing a run on the homer but had no walks and had a strikeout.

Up Next: The No. 1 (south) Hornets (40-5 overall) will play No. 4 (north) Sierra College (20-24) to open the 3C2A State Tournament on Thursday, May 16th at West Valley College at 2:00 pm. Click here to view the 3C2A Softball State Championship bracket.