FORT WORTH, Texas – No. 20 Cal State Fullerton extended its winning streak to eight games, and completed the sweep of No. 22 TCU with a 7-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Lupton Stadium.
The Titans' 8-0 start matches their best start to the season since the 2003 squad also opened the year with a record of 8-0.
Once again, Cal State Fullerton pounced early behind a stellar pitching effort from its starter.
Wiest (1-0) delivered a solid outing on the mound, tossing seven and 1/3 shutout innings, and allowing just four hits while fanning five. Wiest faced the minimum through four innings, aided by two double plays from the Titan defense.
For the eighth consecutive game, Cal State Fullerton scored first when Michael Lorenzen launched a triple into the right field corner to lead off the second. The Titans were able to get him home courtesy of Greg Velazquez's sacrifice fly.
The Titans doubled their lead in the third as CSF capitalized once again when the leadoff batter, Austin Diemer, reached. Diemer singled to center, and moved to third on a stolen base and wild pitch. He scored to give the Titans a 2-0 lead as Matt Chapman challenged the TCU defense with a RBI bunt single placed down the third base line.
In the fourth two base hits and some inconsistent pitching from the Frogs allowed the Titans to bat around in the frame as well as tag on three additional runs en route to a 5-0 advantage. Lorenzen and Chad Wallach led off the inning with back-to-back base hits, before TCU starter Alex Young loaded the bases by walking Richy Pedroza. A diving catch in center field kept the Titans off the scoreboard momentarily, before Diemer's fielder's choice allowed Lorenzen to score.
Young then issued a four-pitch walk to Pedroza to load the bases once again, and his first pitch to Carlos Lopez plunked Fullerton's first baseman forcing in a second run. TCU then went to its bullpen with right-hander Nick Frey. He battled to a full count with Chapman, but issued ball four to force in the Titans' fifth run of the game.
The Titans added two more runs in the ninth with right-hander Andrew Mitchell pitching in relief for the Frogs. After being issued a walk, Diemer stole second moved to third on a groundout and scored on Lopez's infield RBI single. Lopez scored the second run of the ninth after moving all the way to third on a throwing error, before scoring on a passed ball.
Young (0-1) took the loss for TCU after allowing five runs on six hits and two walks in three and 2/3 innings on the mound.
Chapman finished his day with a 3-for-4 effort, driving in two runs, while Lorenzen hit 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action on Friday, to begin a three-game series with No. 14 Oregon at Goodwin Field.
Notes: Fullerton has scored first in all eight of its games in 2013…the Titans' 8-0 start is the best for the program since 2003, when Fullerton opened the year with a record of 8-0…the Titans and Frogs have played a three-game series against one another for six straight years dating back to 2008, with the Titans winning in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013…2013 is the first time either team has swept the series since 2008. The Titans do have a series sweep against the Frogs from 1987, when the clubs met for the first time in Fullerton…Fullerton's eight-game win streak is its longest winning streak since winning nine games from March 25-April 5, 2011…the Titans outscored the Frogs 20-4 during the three-game series…Cal State Fullerton never trailed in the series, and the Titans have not trailed since the seventh inning in the first game of the doubleheader vs. Nebraska on Feb. 16…the Titans shut out their second opponent of 2013 (first vs. Nebraska, Gm 2, Feb. 16).