FULLERTON, Calif. ā Cal State Fullerton baseball run-ruled Arizona State in seven innings Wednesday night at Goodwin Field, winning by a final score of 14-4. With the win the Titans split the midweek series against ASU and improve to 13-21 on the year.Ā
Fullerton's 10-run victory over Arizona State is the largest margin of victory since its 13-3 win in the 2001 Fullerton Regional.Ā
The Titans jumped out to an early lead after scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Eli Lopez led-off the game with a double to left field, setting up Nico Regino to drive him in on a double to left center.Ā
Following back-to-back walks by Max Ortega and Colby Wallace, catcher Waldie Perez hit a bases-clearing double to put the Titans up 4-0.Ā
Fullerton added two runs in the second inning to extend its lead to 6-0. Lopez led-off the inning with a solo home run to left field for his second of the season and second career home run. Lopez went 2-for-5 on the night with two runs and an RBI. The sophomore leads the team with a .320 batting average this season.Ā
The Titans added the second run of the inning on a bases loaded walk drawn by Perez.Ā
Arizona State slowly started chipping away at Fullerton's lead, scoring one run in the third inning, two in the fourth and one in the fifth to make it a 6-4 game.Ā
After scoring one run in the fifth inning on a solo home run, Arizona State had runners on first and second and one out when Jason Krakoski came on in relief for the Titans. Krakoski allowed a base hit to load the bases before shutting the door on a Sun Devil rally.Ā
Krakoski earned the win for the Titans to improve to 2-0 on the year. The freshman pitched 2.2 shutout innings, allowing just three hits while striking out a career-high three batters.Ā
The Titans decided to step on the gas after letting Arizona State back in the game, scoring six runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning to take a commanding lead, 12-4.Ā
Jakob Schardt got the scoring started in the fifth with a two-run single to drive in Frank Estrada and Perez. Estrada saw his first playing time of the season Wednesday night and got his first collegiate hit in the fifth inning.Ā
With the bases loaded, Ortega drew a five pitch walk to bring home Schardt and put the Titans up 9-4. One batter later, Colby Wallace found a hole through the left side of the infield to drive in two runs and extend the Titans lead to 11-4.Ā
Perez capped off the six-run inning with a single to center field to score Ortega and put the Titans up 12-6.Ā
Fullerton added one run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Alijah Ramos to bring home Estrada from second base to push the lead to 13-6.Ā
Following a leadoff double by Ortega in the seventh inning and a Wallace walk, Perez ended the game on an RBI single off the wall in dead center field. Perez would have driven in two runs with the hit but the game was determined a run-rule once Ortega crossed home plate.Ā
Perez had a career game, going 3-for-3 with one run, six RBI and two walks. The junior's three hits and six RBI are both career highs.Ā
Chad Gurnea had a strong start on the mound for the Titans. The freshman pitched 2.0 shutout innings, allowing just two hits while walking one and striking out two.Ā
Fullerton returns to conference play this weekend as it hosts CSUN in a three-game series beginning Friday night at Goodwin Field.
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