CLEARWATER, Fla. - Junior Thomas Eshelman went six strong innings but No. 23 Cal State Fullerton managed just two hits in a 2-1 opening night loss to South Florida Friday night at the Opening Weekend Challenge in Clearwater, Fla.
The Titans (0-1) dropped their first season opener since 2012, which also came on the road in Florida against the then-No. 1 Gators in Gainesville. Overall, the Titans are now 22-19 in season openers and 4-13 when those games happen on the road. The Bulls (1-0) scored a win in their first ever meeting with Fullerton.
Eshelman finished the night allowing two earned runs on five hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts for the Titans. He came out of the gates on fire, striking out the first five batters he faced and had eight punch outs through four innings.
Senior Tyler Peitzmeier wrapped up the game on the mound for the Titans by striking out all six batters he faced.
But the Titans offense struggled to get anything going, finishing the night with two hits but did work four walks and had a hit batter.
The Titans got on the board in the third inning, scratching out a run in the frame to take the early lead. Tyler Stieb started things by getting plunked by a Jimmy Herget offering with one out. After Timmy Richards struck out, Stieb swiped second base and Josh Vargas drew a two-out walk to bring up Taylor Bryant.
The Titans third baseman fell behind 1-2 in the count but poked an outside pitch to shallow right and just out of the reach of a diving Luke Maglich to plate Stieb and put Fullerton out in front.
Eshelman was cruising through five innings, allowing only a pair of hits but the Bulls got to the Titans starter in the sixth. Kevin Merrell started the rally by legging out an infield single and Levi Borders followed with a scorching line drive to left for a double. Luke Borders then stepped up and punched a single through the right side of the infield to plate both runners and put the Bulls up 2-1.
The Titans had a chance to tie it in the ninth, getting two runners on with two outs. David Olmedo-Barrera got aboard with one out thanks to a bunt single. After a strikeout, Tanner Pinkston reached on an error by shortstop Kyle Teaf to put the tying run in scoring position. But pinch hitter Dalton Blaser struck out against reliever Tommy Peterson to end the game, giving Peterson the save.
For the Bulls, starter Jimmy Herget went five innings and allowed one run on one hit and issued four walks to go with nine strikeouts en route to a no-decision. Joe Cavallaro got his first victory of the season after pitching two innings of hitless relief, getting two strikeouts.
The Titans will look to bounce back Saturday afternoon when they take on Alabama State, which lost earlier in the day 5-1 to No. 12 Louisville.
Notes: Stieb's stolen base was the ninth of his Titans career… Both teams combined to strike out 31 times on Friday night. Stieb was the only starting position player on either side to avoid striking out on the night… Fullerton now holds a 24-7 record against teams from the American Athletic Conference… Eshelman issued a walk in the fifth inning, only the 12th free pass he's allowed in 245 and 1/3 career innings pitched.
