NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - David Olmedo-Barrera reached base in all five of his plate appearances and hit his third home run of the season as Cal State Fullerton defeated CSUN 7-2 Sunday afternoon to clinch the Big West Conference series at Matador Field.
The Titans (14-13, 2-1) pounded out 13 hits on the afternoon and had four players record multi-hit games on the day while the Matadors (20-8, 1-2) stranded nine runners on base and struck out a combined 10 times against Fullerton pitching.
Olmedo-Barrera was 2-for-2 with a home run and two runs scored and Tyler Stieb was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Dalton Blaser was 2-for-3 with a double, recording his first career multi-hit game with the Titans. Catcher A.J. Kennedy also tallied two hits in four at-bats, scoring a run and driving in a run.
John Gavin picked up his third victory of the season on the mound for the Titans, going five and 1/3 innings and allowed one run on four hits. He walked one and struck out four. Miles Chambers, Willie Kuhl, Maxwell Gibbs and Chad Hockin combined to pitch the remaining three and 2/3 innings and allowed one run on four hits and combined to record six strikeouts, issuing one walk.
The Titans jumped on the Matadors right away, scoring twice after sending just three batters up in the inning. Olmedo-Barrera led off with a single to right and then Stieb drove him in with a double to left field. Josh Estill then came up and laid down a perfect bunt to the left side of the infield where starting pitcher Rayne Raven barehanded the ball and then threw it over first base and into foul territory to allow Stieb to score and the Titans had a 2-0 lead early.
Olmedo-Barrera then added a run to the Titans lead in the fifth inning as he teed off on a 2-0 offering from Raven and lined his third home run of the season over the right field fence to make it 3-0 Titans. Olmedo-Barrera extended his hitting streak to seven games and has reached base safely in 12 straight.
Fullerton put the game out of reach in the sixth as the Titans batted around in the inning and scored three times off three different Matadors pitchers. Blaser started the rally as he doubled with one out and then pinch runner Hunter Cullen took third on a wild pitch by Raven, which struck out Scott Hurst. With two away, Kennedy singled to drive in the run and put the Titans up 4-0. Josh Vargas then got aboard on a drag-bunt to first and then Timmy Richards walked to load the bases. Kennedy would score on a wild pitch by reliever Joey Decegile. Olmedo-Barrera would draw a walk in an 11-pitch at-bat to load the bases and then Stieb drew another walk in a 10-pitch at-bat to cap off the scoring in the inning for the Titans and give Fullerton the 6-0 lead and they never looked back.
Raven suffered his second loss of the season for CSUN, going five and 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs, five earned, on nine hits. He walked three and struck out seven.
The Titans will return home to Goodwin Field on Thursday to continue Big West action as they host Cal Poly, a team that took two of three at Oregon State this weekend. It will be the Mustangs' conference opener.
Notes: The Titans won their 13th consecutive series over CSUN this weekend… Jerrod Bravo entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning and singled up the middle to reach base for the 15th consecutive game… Vargas has now reached base safely in 10 straight games… The Titans are now 3-5 in games where they hit a home run, recording their third straight win on Sunday.
