Fullerton Softball Claims 2024 3C2A State Championship

After waiting 44 years, the Fullerton College softball Hornets are once again State Champions defeating Cypress College in the title game Sunday 6-2

It took two games on Sunday, but the Hornets finally got it done falling to Cypress in the first game 4-1 and then winning it all in the second game 6-2.

The long wait is over for the FC softball program that saw its last state title back in 1980 (34-9 overall) under Hall of Fame Coach Margo Davis. Coaches Crystal Aguirre and Marian "Speedy" Mendoza have now led the Hornets to the winner's circle putting together one of the greatest teams the college has ever seen.

With the big win, the Hornets will go down as the winningest team in school history with 44 total victories climbing over Margo Davis' 1988 squad that finished the season with 41 wins with a 7th place finish at the state tournament.

Fullerton had a huge test in Cypress College, not only playing against last season's state champions (10 total) but also its district and Orange Empire Conference rival. The Hornets stayed the course winning the second game.

In the third inning of the second game, FC fell behind 2-0 after Kaitlyn Reynolds and Jaylene Duarte knocked in Julia Doan and Dempsey Wood on singles.

The Hornets got the ball rolling with a big fourth inning scoring 4 runs to grab a 4-2 lead. Alyssa Garcia hit a single to right field plating Haley Garcia, Milene Mendoza knocked one to short stop for a single  scoring Caitlyn Stear, Coco Siono hit Garcia in, and Jianna Lopez ripped a single to right field scoring Mendoza.

Fullerton was not finished as the team added two more insurance runs in the sixth to go up 6-2. Coco struck again with a RBI single to right field that scored Mendoza. Jianna Lopez grounded out to first base but gave Siono the opportunity to run across home plate.

Allyson Fuentes (21-2) was named the 3C2A State MVP throwing a complete 5-hit game with 1 earned run, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts.

At the plate, Milene Mendoza was 2 for 3 with 2 runs and 1 RBI. Coco Siono was 1 for 3 with 1 runs and 2 RBI, while Jianna Lopez matched her teammate going 1 for 3 with 2 RBI.

Release by Phil Thurman, Fullerton