Fullerton suffered a heartbreaking loss to the number 1 seeded San Mateo Bulldogs on Friday, May 17, in game one of the CCCAA State Tournament.

The Hornets dropped the first game with a score of 4-5 to the Bulldogs in a closely contested game.

The OEC MVP Lulu Vasquez got the start for the Hornet’s and worked a clean 1-2-3 inning to start off the day showing why she earned the MVP honors.

However, it did not take long for San Mateo to show why they are the number one seed in the tournament.

After a leadoff walk in the bottom of the second inning, San Mateo’s Riley Donovan ripped a 2-run shot over the left field wall for the first runs of the game giving the Bulldog’s a 2-0 lead.

Fullerton would not go down without a fight by quickly responding in the third by adding two runs after some spotty defense by the Bulldogs. After a ground out ended the inning the score sat at 2-2.

The Hornet’s took their first lead of the game after a leadoff home run from the first baseman Khloe Lilavois in the fourth. That was it for the Hornet’s but not before taking a 3-2 lead.

San Mateo’s R.Donovan showed no mercy to Fullerton and launched her second home run of the day to even things up. The inning ended after Vasquez got a strikeout to end the inning with the score tied at 3-3.

Fullerton regained the lead in the sixth after the defense allowed a runner to advance to third and Desiree Guzman singled in a run, but was thrown out at second with the score 4-3 Hornets.

Jessica Lopez replaced Vasquez in the bottom of the fifth inning and unfortunately suffered the same fate surrendering a home run to Amanda Ubois-Weitenhagen once again tying the game at 4-4.

The game remained close as it took extra innings to decide with the Hornet’s Lopez matching the Bulldog’s Emily McAdams pitch for pitch.

Disaster struck in the ninth inning for the Hornet’s, after Lopez got the hot bat of Donovan to fly out. The next batter Ally Sarabia smacked a fly ball to left field and that was it.

The seventh hit and fourth homerun of the day for the Bulldogs ended the game and Fullerton’s chances for a comeback.

Next up: The Fullerton Hornets will take on conference rivals Cypress Chargers this Saturday, May 18th in Cal State Bakersfield at 9:00 am.