FULLERTON, Calif. – No. 18 Cal State Fullerton's offense erupted for seven runs on 10 hits as they snapped a three-game losing streak with a 7-1 Big West Conference win over UC Davis Saturday night at Goodwin Field.
The Titans (15-11, 1-1) got multi-hit games from Tanner Pinkston, Tyler Stieb and J.D. Davis and junior Grahamm Wiest shut down the Aggies (14-13, 1-4) offense to help the Titans land their first conference win of the year.
The right-hander bounced back after suffering a loss in his start at Wichita State last week as he went eight strong innings and allowed the Aggies just one run on five hits. He walked one and struck out nine to earn his second win of the year and lowered his ERA to 1.81 on the season.
Pinkston had his third three-hit game of the year as he was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a RBI. Davis and Stieb each went 2-for-5 while Matt Chapman, Keegan Dale and Jared Deacon also collected base hits for Cal State Fullerton.
For the Aggies, freshman Max Cordy suffered his second loss of the year after surrendering after he allowed four runs on five hits in four innings pitched. He walked three batters and struck out one. Adam Young and Kevin Barker led the offense as they each tallied two hits.
The Titans took the lead in the bottom of the second after Jake Jefferies drew a one-out walk. Austin Diemer sacrificed him into scoring position and then Dale cashed him in with a single up the middle to give the Titans the early 1-0 lead.
But the Aggies answered in the third inning with some two-out hitting of their own as Seth Batty doubled over the head of Davis in right field and then Young followed with a single to left-center to bring in Batty and tie the score 1-1.
The Titans retook the lead in the fourth inning as Davis led off the frame with a single to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Velazquez and Jefferies followed with walks and then Clay Williamson, who came into the game as a sub in the third inning, had an RBI groundout to drive in Davis and give the Titans the 2-1 lead.
Dale followed with a perfect bunt down the first base line to squeeze in Velazquez and advance Williamson into scoring position as Dale was erased at first. Catcher Jared Deacon then came up and smacked a single up the middle to bring in Williamson and the Titans had a 4-1 advantage.
After adding a run in fifth, the Titans put the game away in the sixth inning as they continued to hit with two outs. Tyler Stieb started the rally with a double down the line that hit the first base bag. Pinkston followed with a double to right center to plate Stieb and then Matt Chapman got it on the hit parade with a single through the left side to plate Pinkston and give the Titans a commanding 7-1 edge.
Notes: Pinkston now leads the team with nine multi-hit games this season. He has also reached base safely in 10 straight games… The Titans scored first for the fifth straight game and are now 10-6 when getting on the scoreboard first… Davis' eight-game hitting streak is the longest by any Titans player this year… Jefferies tied a career-high after drawing two walks on Saturday… Velazquez also walked twice Saturday, tying his career high and drawing two free passes for the third time this year… Stieb made his 11th start of the season and first since Mar. 22 against Long Beach State.