Cal State Fullerton (5-1) pulled off a tremendous comeback topping Illinois-Chicago (2-4) by a score of 12-8 to open up the Hillenbrand Invitational.

Alexa Neil recorded her third straight multi-hit game going 2-4 with a run scored and the game-winning RBI. Zoe Richard also had two hits including the game-tying home run in the final frame.

Irie Siofele launched her third home run of the season going 1-3 with three RBI. Ari Williams launched her first home run of the season going 1-2 with two RBI and three walks. Sam Kennedy also hit her first home run of the season with a 1-2 performance and three RBI.

Janelle Rodriguez was the only other Titan with a hit going 1-3 at the plate while Deshea Hill went 0-4 with an RBI.

In the circle, the Titans struggled early on. Dani Martinez got the start giving up six runs in 2.1 innings. Taylor Dockins came in next giving up a run while recording just one hit followed by Mia Marinakis who threw 1.2 innings giving up a run on three hits. Sophie Frost would enter the game as Fullerton brought it back and closed out the victory throwing three innings only giving up one baserunner to pick up the win.

The first four innings belonged to the Flames as UIC put up two in the second, five in the third, and one in the fourth tallying four home runs in the process. While that was happening, the Fullerton offense managed only one hit until the fifth inning.

However, once that fifth inning started, it was a new ballgame. A three-run blast from Siofele would get the Titans on the board and Williams would make it back-to-back jacks launching a solo shot right after. Four batters later, Kennedy launched another three-run home run and made it a one-run game.

USF recorded a season-high, seven runs against UIC, but fell in a heartbreaker to RV/RV Cal State Fullerton who got the walk-off win with two outs.

USF went ahead early against the Flames (2-6), and the Titans (7-1), but could recover when Titans scored two to take the lead in the fifth inning. The Bulls rallied to tie the game in the top of the seventh, but it wasn't enough when CSF hit the walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the frame.

USF 7, UIC 5

USF (3-6) opened up the scoring in the top of the first inning when junior Lindsey Devitt (Jacksonville, Fla.) hit a bloop single to right field, and made it home on an RBI double to right center by redshirt sophomore Bethaney Keen (Bradenton, Fla.).

In the second inning, the Bulls doubled their lead. Freshman Megan Pierro (Lutz, Fla.) led off with an infield single, and advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. Pierro was batted-in by freshman Meghan Sheehan(Forest Hill, Md.) who RBI singled to the shortstop.

The Bulls tacked on two runs in the third inning. Keen had her second hit of the game and made it home on a triple to centerfield by redshirt senior Mia Fung (Tampa, Fla.). Fung also made it home when senior Macy Cook (Uniontown, Ohio) hit a sacrifice fly to right field.

In the top of the fourth, USF loaded the bases with no outs. Freshman Tayli Filla (Ft. Myers, Fla.) hit her first career double to lead off the inning. Brooke Hartman (Port Orange, Fla.), who was pinch hitting for Sheehan, drew a walk and junior AnaMarie Bruni hit a bunt single to get three on base. A pair of sacrifice flies by Keen and Devitt added two runs to the Bulls lead, scoring Filla and Sheehan. Fung drew a walk and USF scored on a well-executed first-and-third play, Bruni stole home while Fung simultaneously stole second.

The Flames got on the board with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when they loaded the bases with no outs, and three singles batted in four runners. A double and an RBI single added one to UIC's score.

Sophomore Georgina Corrick (Sanford, Fla.) earned the win against the Flames. She pitched 2.1 innings and fanned four without allowing a walk or a run.

CSF 5, USF 4

For the second-straight game the Bulls opened up the scoring in the first inning. Devitt hit a single up the middle, stole second and advanced home on an RBI single by Cook. In the second inning, Dezarae Maldonado (Winter Haven, Fla.) got on base on a fielders' choice and scored when Bruni hit an RBI double down the right field line.

RV/RV Cal State Fullerton hit a two-run shot over the left field fence to tie up the game and get on the board in the bottom of the second inning.

USF regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning when Devitt opened up the inning with a single up the middle and stole second. The infielder advanced home on an RBI single by Cook for the second time in the game.

The Titans took the lead in the bottom of the fifth when batters reached on a fielders' choice and a hit-by-pitch, and made it home on two RBI singles that followed.

In the top of the seventh inning, Keen drew a walk with two outs, and freshman Megan Hargraves (Okeechobee, Fla.) entered to pinch run. Cook hit her third RBI single of the game, scoring Hargraves to tie it up at four. The top of the inning ended with a strikeout, and the Bulls headed back to the field to try and hold off CSF.

The Titans hit a fly out to center field, and Maldonado caught a ball in foul territory to take care of the first two outs. However, the Titans would get the walk-off win with an RBI double to right center.

USF closed the Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., with a 2-1, extra-inning, walk-off win when sophomore Bethaney Keen hit an RBI single to score freshman Meghan Sheehan.

The Bulls and the Lobos were gridlocked at zeros through five innings, before New Mexico (3-5) got on the board in the top of the sixth with a single and an RBI double. The Lobos loaded the bases, but a pitching change sent sophomore Georgina Corrick (Sanford, Fla.) to the circle, who would end up clearing the bases on a clutch strikeout.  

The Bulls couldn't respond in the bottom of the inning, but Corrick gave USF another shot when she sent down three straight batters with a pair of strikeouts and a fly out to right field in the top of the seventh.

Freshman Megan Pierro (Lutz, Fla.), who was 2-for-2, drew a walk to lead off the seventh inning. Up next, freshman Dezarae Maldonado (Winter Haven, Fla.) chopped a ball into the infield that bounced over diving infielders and second base and trickled into the outfield. Maldonado made it to first, and advanced Pierro to third. With runners on the corners and no outs, freshman Jaycie Michael (Mt. Dora, Fla.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field and scored Pierro, tying the game, 1-1. The inning ended with a pair of Bulls stranded, sending the teams into extra innings.

With international tiebreak rules in effect, the Lobos placed the last batter on second base. Corrick took the circle and delivered three straight strikeouts to shut down the Lobos. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Sheehan (Forest Hill, Md.) started at second base, and senior Lindsey Devitt (Jacksonville, Fla.) put down a perfect bunt just outside the batter's box, giving Sheehan a chance to move to third. Keen (Bradenton, Fla.) stepped up to the plate and smashed a ball to center field for the game-winner.

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