FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton baseball split its doubleheader against UC Riverside Sunday at Goodwin Field, winning the first game 4-3 before dropping game two 9-6.
After winning the series opener, the Titans earned the series victory with the win in game one of the doubleheader. Fullerton is now 12-20 on the year and 5-10 in Big West conference play.
Game One (W, 4-3)
For the second game in a row the Titans won on a walkoff in the bottom of the ninth inning. Fullerton trailed 3-2 going into the ninth inning before an RBI double by Jakob Schardt scored two runs to give the Titans a 4-3 win.
Max Ortega started the inning with a leadoff single before walks by Alijah Ramos and Eli Lopez loaded the bases and set the stage for Schardt. The sophomore ripped a double to the gap in right center field to drive in Draven Nushida (pinch runner) and Ramos to walk the game off.
The Titans were shutout and trailing 3-0 until the eighth inning when Colby Wallace hit a two-run double to center field to score Lopez and Nico Regino, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Peyton Jones got his second start of the season and pitched six shutout innings, allowing six hits while walking two batters and striking out six. Jones was pulled just before the rain delay which occurred in the top of the seventh inning and lasted about an hour.
Game Two (L, 9-6)
The second game of the doubleheader was a high-scoring affair early with both teams trading runs.
UC Riverside got out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Titans responded with one run in the bottom half of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Maddox Latta to drive in Lopez.
The Highlanders plated three runs in the top of the second to regain the lead. However, the Titans came right back with three runs of their own on a three-run home run by Lopez for his first career home run.
Fullerton took the lead in the third inning on a two-run home run by Colby Wallace to right field. The Titans took a 6-4 lead before another hour-long rain delay occurred.
Derek Turner got the start for the Titans and allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out four batters. Turner started the top of the fourth inning before the rain delay was called.
When the two teams got back on the field after the rain delay, the game was all Highlanders. UC Riverside scored one run in the fourth, two in the fifth and two in the sixth to take a 9-6 lead. The Titans did not score a run after coming back from the rain delay.
Of the nine runs that UC Riverside scored in the second game of the doubleheader, only four of them were earned runs as a result of three Titan errors.
Fullerton had another shot at a walkoff victory in the ninth inning as Waldie Perez led-off with a single followed by a walk from Matthew Bardowell to put runners on first and second with no outs. However, the next three batters recorded outs to end the game.
The Titans are back in action Tuesday and Wednesday night at Goodwin Field as Arizona State comes to town. First pitch for both games is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
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