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LONG BEACH — Fullerton’s softball team entered the week in the discussion for the top spot in the Orange County rankings.
The Indians, who stayed at No. 2 in the rankings, closed the week Friday with an even stronger case for a promotion.
Katelynn Mathews pitched a three-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts and her freshman sister and catcher Kaylee drove in a run as Fullerton defeated Long Beach Poly 4-0 at El Dorado Park West.
Naia Su’e had a two-run double and Hayley Brook, Kaylyn Yi and Melia Vera each had two hits for Fullerton (12-1). The Indians won on the same afternoon that Santa Margarita knocked off No.1 JSerra 1-0 in the Trinity League.
“I thought we should have been No. 1 last week,” Fullerton coach Trevor Holton said. “We play Los Altos (last week) and we beat them and Los Altos turns around and beats JSerra. JSerra is a good team and they have really good pitching and they deserved to be there and they did really well in Bullhead (in the Dave Kops tournament).”
“But No. 1 is hard,” the coach added.
Fullerton survived its own challenge against Long Beach Poly (7-1), the reigning CIF-SS Division 4 champion.
The Jackrabbits loaded the bases in the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate with one out. But Mathews struck out the No. 2 and No. 3 hitters in the lineup to escape her second bases-loaded jam and improve to 8-0.
Mathews, a junior who is committed to Cal Baptist, tweaked her right ankle — which she uses to push off the rubber — on the final pitch.
“I’m in pain,” said Mathews, who hunched over heading toward the dugout. “I hurt it at the end of travel ball, end of the fall. Our last game.”
The victory brightened Mathews’ mood. Last season, she took the loss as Long Beach Poly defeated Fullerton 8-2.
“It feels good (to win) because the last time we played them, I didn’t do too well,” said Mathews, who on Friday recorded a season-high for strikeouts, walked three (one intentionally) and hit two batters. “I just had to stay relaxed (with the bases loaded). I just trusted my defense.”
The Matthews sisters showed strong chemistry as a battery, especially when Long Beach Poly loaded the bases in the fifth and seventh.
“By hitting her spots (and) letting me work for her, it all paid off her,” Kaylee said of her sister.
Fullerton scored three runs in the first against starter Tegan Breaux. After Brock opened the inning with a walk and took second on a single Yi, Su’e drove in both runners with a one-out double to left.
Kaylee capped the inning with a two-out single to center.
Fullerton pushed its lead to 4-0 in the sixth on a RBI single by Vera. The senior drove in freshman Grace Kim, who had double.
The Indians finished with 10 hits in their final game before the Carew Classic next week.
“Health is No. 1 (for us),” said Holton, whose team played without Oklahoma commit Malaya Majam-Finch (groin). “And then staying humble and keep grinding.”