FULLERTON, Calif. â Cal State Fullerton defeated UC Irvine, 8-3, in its Big West home opener Friday night. With the win the Titans improve to 8-9 on the year and 3-1 in conference play.Â
UC Irvine took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a solo home run.Â
Paul Contreras wasted no time tying the game at 1-1, sending a solo shot over the wall in left field on the second pitch in the home half of the inning.Â
In the third inning, with runners on first and second in the third inning, Contreras came through again with a blooper to right field to bring home Eli Lopez and give the Titans a 2-1 lead.Â
Some baserunning trickery from Fullerton provided further run support. A Contreras intentional run-down allowed Ty Thomas to attempt to steal home and score thanks to a throwing error by UC Irvine, extending the lead to 3-1.Â
UC Irvine came back to tie the game at 3-3 in the sixth inning after stringing together three singles.Â
Mikiah Negrete had a performance Titan fans are accustomed to seeing, giving up hits but time-and-time again limiting damage and getting out of jams. With the game tied at 3-3 in the seventh inning, Negrete worked his way out of a bases loaded one-out jam, including a punchout to end the inning.Â
The senior earned the win to improve to 3-1 on the year after allowing three runs on 11 hits while striking out a tied for season-high eight batters and issuing just one walk. Negrete has a 2.12 ERA and a conference-best three walks in 29.2 innings pitched.Â
After gaining momentum from Negrete, the Titans offense attacked quickly in their half of the seventh inning. With runners on second and third, Cameron Kim drew a walk on a wild pitch which allowed Cam Burdick to score and give Fullerton a 4-3 lead.Â
With the bases loaded, Max Ortega bounced a double down the right field line, scoring Eli Lopez and Kim to extend the lead to 6-3.Â
The Titans then played Titans Baseball. Nick Miller laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Ortega before a throwing error to first base by UCI allowed Contreras to come home and put the Titans up 8-3.Â
Chris Hernandez stepped on the mound in relief in the eighth for the Titans and worked his way in and out of a bases loaded jam to shut the door on UC Irvine's hopes of a comeback. Andrew Wright recorded the final three outs to secure the victory in the Titans conference home opener.Â
The Titans look to secure the series victory in game two Saturday at Goodwin Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
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