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LOS ANGELES, Calif. — 2026 Big West softball champion California Fullerton dropped its opening game of the 2026 NCAA Softball Championship against South Carolina, 7-4, on Friday afternoon in regional action at Easton Stadium on the campus of UCLA. 

The Titans struck first and carried momentum through much of the contest after piecing together timely hits against the Gamecocks early in the matchup. After a scoreless opening inning from both sides, Cal State Fullerton broke through in the top of the second. Alexia Lopez opened the frame with a single through the right side before Lulu Sanchez followed with a hit to left field. With two runners aboard, Kate Verhoef ripped a double into left center, plating a pair of runs and handing the Titans an early 2-0 advantage.

South Carolina answered in the bottom half after capitalizing on a fielding error before Tori Davis launched a two-run home run to right center to even the score at 2-2.

The Gamecocks grabbed their first lead of the afternoon in the third inning after Karley Shelton lined an RBI double down the right-field line, pushing South Carolina ahead 3-2.

The Titans quickly responded in the top of the fourth inning. Lopez reached base on an error, and pinch runner Lesly Valdez later crossed home after Sanchez singled back up the middle. The play also forced a South Carolina throwing error, the Titans to knot the game once again at 3-3. 2026 Big West Field Player of the YEar Sarah Perez sparked another scoring opportunity in the fifth with a single through the middle before Ava Arce delivered an RBI knock to left field, bringing home Perez and giving the Titans a 4-3 edge.

CSF carried the lead into the bottom of the sixth before the Gamecocks rallied. South Carolina loaded the bases with consecutive hits before Quincee Lilio launched a three-run homer to right field, capping a four-run inning and swinging momentum back to the SEC side, 7-4. The Titans threatened in the seventh after Colby McClinton singled to right field, but SC retired the next two batters to close out the contest.

Verhoef highlighted the Titans offense with a two-RBI double while Sanchez finished with two hits and an RBI. Arce also drove in a run, and Perez added a hit and scored once.

Inside the circle, Trisha McCleskey tossed 5.2 innings with three strikeouts in relief while allowing five earned runs. Eva Hurtado entered in the sixth inning and recorded the final out of the frame on just four pitches, including three strikes.

The Blue and Orange totaled eight hits in the contest, led by Sanchez’s two-hit outing, while Verhoef, Arce, Perez, Lopez, McClinton, and Maggie Paulovich each contributed a hit. South Carolina finished with 10 hits overall, including multi-hit performances from Davis, Lilio and Nina Heath. The Gamecocks also drew the lone walk of the game while the Titans committed three errors defensively.

Cal State Fullerton will now enter an elimination game tomorrow, Saturday, May 16 at 4:30 p.m. PT live on ESPN+ against the loser of the regional matchup between host UCLA and future Big West rival California Baptist.