IRVINE, Calif. - Cal State Fullerton could not solve UC Irvine starter Elliot Surrey on Friday night as the Titans suffered a 2-0 Big West Conference loss to the Anteaters at Anteater Ballpark.
The Titans (25-15, 7-3) managed just five hits against Surrey as the left-hander tossed his first complete-game of the season for the Anteaters (25-14, 7-6), retiring 12 in a row at one point.
Timmy Richards was 2-for-4 with a double and Josh Vargas went 1-for-4 with a triple. Ruben Cardenas also recorded a triple as three of the team's five hits went for extra bases but they could not get a run across against Surrey.
Connor Seabold took the loss for Fullerton, the first conference defeat of his two-year career with the Titans. The right-hander was excellent on the mound, allowing just two runs on seven hits in six and 1/3 innings of work. He struck out nine. Miles Chambers tossed an inning and 2/3 of relief, allowing just two hits.
But Surrey was just a bit better on Friday night, scattering five hits and recording seven strikeouts against the Titans to pick up his third victory of the season.
UC Irvine took the early 1-0 lead in the first inning after Cole Kreuter led off the frame with a single. He would steal second and then came around to score on a two-out single by Mitchell Holland to put the Anteaters on top.
They made it 2-0 in the fourth inning after Evan Cassolato smacked a two-out triple to right-center to score Wyatt Castro from first base.
The Titans best chance to score came in the second inning as Cardenas led off the frame with a triple off the right-field wall. But Surrey got Coby Kauhaahaa to hit a comebacker to the mound for the first out and Scott Hurst fouled out to the catcher for the second out of the inning. Tristan Hildebrandt then struck out swinging to end the frame and strand Cardenas at third base. The Titans would leave six runners on base on the night and went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
The teams will meet in game two of the series Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. with lefty John Gavin getting the start for Fullerton while southpaw Cameron Bishop gets the ball for the Anteaters.
Notes: Tanner Pinkston went 0-for-4 on the night, snapping his streak of 19 straight games reaching base safely… Jerrod Bravo had his six-game hitting streak snapped on Friday night… Vargas is now one hit away from 100 for his Titans career… The Titans were shutout for the sixth time this season and fourth time on the road.