Cal State Fullerton Titans
Overall Rank: #22
Conference Rank: #1 Big West
The Titans are coming off of their first Big West title since 2006 and the first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009. The season didn't end like the team had hoped, with the squad bowing out in the regional round, but a solid nucleus returns, as only eight seniors are gone from last year's squad of 28. To get back to the tournament though, Cal State Fullerton is going to need to rely on those returning players.
2016: 45-16, 17-4
2016 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Kelly Ford
Key Departed Players:
Missy Taukeiaho, IF, .360 BA, 62 H, 22 2B, 10 HR, 41 RBI
Courtney Rodriguez, OF, .307 BA, 54 H, 7 2B, 14 SB
Melissa Sechrest, IF, 14 2B, 7 HR, 31 RBI
Sarah Moore, OF, 45 H, 2 HR, 14 2B, 25 RBI
Desiree Ybarra, P, 16-7, 165 IP, 1.82 ERA, 150 K
Key Returning Players:
Delynn Rippy, OF, .373 BA, 57 H, 5 2B, 5 3B, 34 RBI, 14 SB
Samantha Vandiver, OF, .340 BA, 68 H, 7 2B, 48 R
Alexis Gonzalez, C/IF, .325 BA, 50 H, 9 HR, 8 2B, 45 RBI
Sydney Golden, P, 18-6, 1.97 ERA, 138.2 IP, 73 K
Projection:
The Titans bring back a good portion of their lineup, three of their top four, each of whom started at least 54 games last season. Sydney Golden shared the circle with Desiree Ybarra last season, so finding Ybarra's replacement will be vital for Fullerton. Trisha Parks, a transfer from Arizona, makes her debut for the Titans this season. Parks, a redshirt sophomore who last played in 2015, went 16-7 in the circle and was named to the Pac-12 All Freshman Team. The Titans host three tournaments this season, as well as get a trip to Puerto Vallarta for a tournament in mid-February. The Titans' toughest non-conference stretch will come at the end of February and early March when they participate in the Mary Nutter Classic and host the Judi Garman Classic. Georgia, Louisville and Utah await at Mary Nutter, while CSUF plays Arizona State, Michigan, UCLA, and Baylor at the Judi Garman Classic.
Projected Postseason: NCAA Softball Tournament
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