IRVINE, Calif. ā Trailing 7-6 entering the final frame, Cal State Fullerton scored three runs in the ninth inning to defeat No. 12 UC Irvine 9-7 in game one Thursday night on the road.Ā
With the win the Titans improve to 28-24 on the year and 18-10 in Big West play. The win also secures the No. 3 seed in The Big West Championship next week.Ā
Fullerton battled back all night, overcoming a 6-2 deficit in the seventh inning before coming back from down one run in the ninth.Ā
Freshman Carter Johnstone got the rally going in the ninth with a one-out double to give the Titans a runner in scoring position. Following a base hit from Maddox Latta, Matthew Bardowell hit into a productive infield out to score Johnstone from third and tie the game at 7-7.Ā
With one out and Latta at second base, Andrew Kirchner doubled down the left field line to score Latta and give the Titans an 8-7 lead, the Titans first lead of the game.Ā
Following an intentional walk to Eli Lopez, Max Ortega hit a ball at the third baseman which he bobbled and had an errant throw home, allowing Kirchner to score to extend Fullerton's lead to 9-7.Ā
Andrew Wright, who came on in relief in the eighth inning, closed out the game by retiring the side in order to give Fullerton the win. Wright earned the victory to improve to 3-2 on the year after pitching 1.1 innings and giving up just one hit while striking out two.Ā Ā
Fullerton had to climb back from a 6-2 deficit earlier in the game and had no problem doing that with a four-run seventh inning to tie the game at 6-6.Ā
Marcos Rosales led-off the seventh inning with a single before stealing second base. Paul Contreras then switched spots with him on a RBI double off the wall in left field to cut the deficit to 6-3.Ā
With two outs and a runner at second, Maddox Latta came through with an RBI single up the middle to score Contreras and make it a 6-4 game.Ā
Bardowell changed the game with a powerful swing of the bat, crushing a two-run home run to left field to tie the game at 6-6.
UC Irvine scored one run in the eighth inning to take a 7-6 lead before the Titans ninth inning comeback.Ā
The Titans fell behind to start the game as well, trailing 2-0 after UC Irvine plated two runs in the bottom of the second inning.Ā
Fullerton got on the board in the top half of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Ortega to score Kirchner and cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Titans tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth inning on an RBI fielder's choice by Maddox Latta to bring home Cam Burdick from third base.Ā
UC Irvine answered with four runs in the home half of the fifth inning to take a 6-2 lead before the Titans four-run seventh inning tied the game.Ā
Jason Blood and Ryan Faulks did enough in relief to keep the Titans in the game. Blood pitched two shutout innings, giving up three hits while striking out two. Faulks allowed one run on one hit in his lone inning pitched.Ā
Fullerton looks to carry its momentum into game two Friday night at UC Irvine. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
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