BIG HITS GET THE WIN OVER THE BOBCATS

A fast start and steady pressure throughout handed the Hornets an 8-2 win over Saddleback College on Monday on afternoon.

It's the final Orange Empire Conference series of the season and Fullerton took a step in the right direction for a playoff spot taking game one of the three-game series over the Bobcats. FC is now in 4^th place in conference with an 8-8 record, while Saddleback sits in fifth with a 7-9 OEC record. Golden West College is in third at 9-7. Cypress (13-3) is in second and Orange Coast (15-3) is currently first.

The Hornets came out swinging with 2 runs in the first inning. Hope Morales got it started when she sprinted home on a wild pitch. Juliana Ursino followed with an RBI single to center that brought in Veronica Moore.

Saddleback responded in the second and third with solo runs by Macy Smith and Cristen Areopagita to tie the game up at 2-2, but Fullerton quickly took control again in the bottom half of the third. Linsey Arostigue delivered the go-ahead blow when she belted a two-run single up the middle that made it 4-2. Avery Wiersma tacked on another run with an RBI infield single.

Veronica Moore kept the scoring wave going in the fifth by hammering a solo homer that went over the left field wall. Up 6-2, Linsey Arostigue hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored pinch runner Kasey Nichols. Hope Morales finished off the scoring with an RBI single that got through the left side scoring Juliana Ursino.

Grace Workman pitched a complete 7-inning game for her 10^th win. She had 7 hits against, 2 earned runs, had 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts.

On offense, the Hornets finished with eight runs on nine hits, spreading the production across the lineup. Linsey Arostigue led the charge with 3 RBI, while Veronica Moore had 2 runs and two RBI of her own.

Up Next: The Hornets (15-21 overall, 8-8 OEC) will play game two at home against Saddleback on Tuesday, April 22^nd at 2:00 pm. It's Sophomore Day so come out and support your Hornets for this big game!