HORNETS PULL OFF 3-GAME SWEEP OVER CYPRESS

The Fullerton College softball team made it three wins in a row on Friday afternoon beating Cypress College 9-8 at home to complete the Orange Empire Conference series sweep over the Chargers.

The victory moves the Hornets to 12-4 overall and 4-2 in conference play, while Cypress falls to 10-5 overall and 3-3 in the OEC.

It marks the first time since 2024 that Fullerton has swept Cypress in an Orange Empire Conference series in a season in which the Hornets went 44-6 overall and captured the state championship.

The series began on Tuesday with a 1-0 Hornet win behind a strong pitching performance from Emma Gamez and a solo home run from Lisa Villanueva that proved to be the difference. The Hornets followed that up on Thursday with an 8-0 mercy-rule victory in five innings that set the stage for Friday's dramatic finale.

Friday's matchup turned into a back-and-forth offensive battle as both teams traded blows throughout the afternoon.

Cypress struck first in the opening inning when Lynsey Arostigue stole home after Peyton Clark swiped second giving the Chargers a 1-0 lead.

The Chargers added another run in the fourth inning before the Hornets responded in the bottom half of the frame. Toafa Pua delivered an RBI single that scored Alexandria Valdez, and Zoey Bautista lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Lisa Villanueva tying the game at 2-2.

Cypress answered with a three-run fifth inning to take a 5-2 lead, but the Hornets quickly fought back.

Fullerton began chipping away when Faith Krueger reached on a bunt fielder's choice, allowing Juliana Ursino to score. Moments later, Toafa Pua ripped a two-RBI double to right center plating Krueger and Valdez to tie the game. Madison Boehm then followed with an RBI single scoring Villanueva and giving the Hornets their first lead of the game at 8-5.

The Chargers responded again in the seventh inning scoring three runs to tie it at 8-8.

But the Hornets refused to go quietly. Leading off the inning, Lisa Villanueva crushed a pitch over the left field fence for a walk-off home run- her second homer of the series and the biggest swing of the afternoon sealing the 9-8 victory and completing the sweep.

Villanueva finished with 3 runs scored had a RBI and 2 walks, while Alexandria Valdez led the offense with 3 hits and 2 runs scored. Pua delivered a big performance in the middle of the lineup with 2 hits and 3 RBI, and Boehm added an RBI knock.

In the circle, Grace Workman earned the win to improve to 4-0 tossing 4.1 innings while allowing two runs on six hits and striking out three. Emma Gamez worked 2.2 innings in the middle of the game.

Up Next: The Hornets will travel to East Los Angeles College for a three-way this Saturday, March 14th facing East LA at 2:00 pm and Ventura at 4:00 pm.