vs. GCU vs. #13 SU vs. #20 HSU
Turlock, CA – In a rematch pitting 20th-ranked Humboldt State and the hurler who earned a 3-0 record against the Jacks en route to NFCA Player of the Week honors, Arcata-based HSU got the best of Kristin Tanaka in the Championship Game of the Tournament of Champions in a 1-0 win in which Tanaka allowed just two hits as the Toros move to 21-16 after finishing the tournament with a 5-2 record. Regina Farfan, who was named to the All-Tournament team along with teammate Jennifer Frazier, posted a perfect 4-0 record and 1.04 ERA in addition to a .556 batting average as CSUDH took wins against Grand Canyon and 13th-ranked Seattle University in the Gold Tournament's quarter and semifinal contests.
In the title game, it was Hannah Jones who stifled the Toro bats, scattering six hits in improving to 7-4 on the year. Katie Garcia did the most damage with her 2-for-3 outing, but a Jack 4th inning in which Nikki Ketteringham led off the frame with a solo shot to center field proved to be all the scoring Jones would need, as Toro starter Tanaka allowed just two hits on the day.
Starting the day with an 8-2 victory over Grand Canyon in game one of the Gold Bracket, the Toros won despite committing four errors as Farfan put CSUDH in front for good with a towering 3-run blast to left field for the final runs of a 4-run 3rd inning. The Toros added three more in the 4th, with the big blow coming on a Michelle Medina 2RBI single to center field.
That was more than enough for Farfan, who scattered just four hits in 81 pitches as she threw 56 strikes in the win to set up a rematch against Seattle University.
Against the 13th-ranked Redhawks, CSUDH struck first with three runs, using three hits and an SU error for a 3-0 lead. After Seattle answered with two in their 1st-inning at-bat, both teams scored a single run in the 4th with the Toro score courtesy of another SU miscue.
SU added a run in the 5th to tie the game, and that's where it stood after completing all seven innings. The Redhawks, however, needing to catch a flight back to Seattle, were forced to forfeit the game, allowing the Toros to advance to the title contest against the Lumberjacks.
For the tournament, Jennifer Frazier and Jodi Nakawatase paced the Toros with 11 hits apiece, with Frazier and Farfan leading the way with 5 RBI each. Liz Vazquez fielded the highest batting average (.438) amongst the position players and handled all 22 opportunities in the field.
In the circle, Farfan appeared in five of the seven games, completing two with a 4-0 record and 1.04 ERA. She tossed 27.0 innings of work, fanning 10 and allowing just 4 earned runs as opposing batters hit a paltry .198 against her.
The Toros conclude their regular season homestand next weekend as Cal State Stanislaus visits Carson for a pair of twinbills, starting on Friday, April 4, at 1:00 pm on Toro Diamond.
