FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton jumped out to an early seven-run lead and never looked back, defeating UC Irvine by a final score of 9-5 Saturday night at Goodwin Field to clinch the series victory.
With their fourth consecutive win, the Titans improve to 9-9 on the year and 4-1 in Big West Conference play.
Fullerton came out swinging, scoring a tied for season-high seven runs in the first inning. Eli Lopez and Cameron Kim started off the inning with a single and double, respectively, to give the Titans runners on second and third.
With one out, Paul Contreras doubled to the gap in left center field to bring home both runners and put the Titans up 2-0.
Nick Miller kept the scoring going with a single up the middle to score Contreras and put the Titans up 3-0. Cam Burdick was later hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 4-0.
Lopez came back to the plate with the bases loaded and two-outs and proceeded to lay down a perfect bunt which would have resulted in one run being scored. However, a throwing error into right field cleared the bases and gave Fullerton a 7-0 advantage.
Dylan Smith gave the Titans four shutout innings, including three after the seven-run inning to keep momentum on Fullerton's side. Smith earned the win to improve to 1-2 on the year.
The Titans extended their lead to 8-0 in the third inning on an RBI single by Bren Wilkinson to score Miller from third base. Wilkinson got his first start and recorded his first RBI as a Titan.
UC Irvine cut Fullerton's lead in half, 8-4, after scoring four runs in the top of the fifth inning.
Fullerton didn't get all four runs back but countered with one run in the home half of the fifth on a towering solo home run into the arboretum by Andrew Kirchner. The senior's third home run of the year traveled 428 feet over the netting in right field.
The Anteaters scored one run in the top of the ninth to cut the Titans lead to 9-5 before Brady Dockan closed the game out. Dockan pitched the final three innings to earn his first save of the season while giving up just two hits, striking out four and not issuing a walk.
The Titans look to sweep the weekend series Sunday afternoon at Goodwin Field. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.
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