LONG BEACH, Calif. - Miles Chambers got Garrett Hampson to ground into the game-ending double play with the bases loaded to give No. 23 Cal State Fullerton a 6-2 victory over No. 22 Long Beach State Thursday night at Blair Field.
The victory put the Titans (34-20, 16-6) two games up on the Dirtbags (35-19, 14-8) in the conference standings with two games left to play at Blair Field, locking up at least a share of the 2016 Big West Conference title for the Titans. It is Fullerton's 29th conference title overall and the 21st Big West championship in program history. It is also the second consecutive conference title for Fullerton.
Josh Vargas helped to lead the Titans to victory, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored while Ruben Cardenas' two-run single in the first inning proved to be the difference. Jake Pavletich was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Dalton Blaser and Timmy Richards also tallied two hits on the night.
The game took four hours and 13 minutes to complete as the teams combined to issue 12 walks on the night to go along with two hit batters. Both teams combined to strand 22 base runners.
In the ninth inning, the Dirtbags loaded the bases with one out against Chambers after pinch-hitter Garrett Nelson hit a one-out double to left-center and Jarren Duran followed with a bunt-single. Chambers walked Zach Domingues to bring up Hampson but the Titans reliever got the Dirtbags shortstop to hit sharp groundball to short for the double play to end the threat and the game.
The Titans jumped out in front early, scoring three times in the opening frame. Vargas led off with a walk and then Richards singled to right-center to put runners at the corners. With one out, Jerrod Bravo was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Dirtbags starter Chris Mathewson struck out Tanner Pinkston for the second out but then walked Scott Hurst on five pitches to force in the Titans first run. Cardenas then stepped in and lined a single to center, scoring Richards and Bravo to put Fullerton up 3-0.
Fullerton made it 4-0 in the fourth inning as Jake Pavletich led off with a single to center and then came all the way around to score on a one-out double down the left-field line by Vargas.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth, when the Dirtbags finally got on the board against starter Connor Seabold. Domingues led off with a single, the first leadoff base runner Seabold had allowed up to that point. Hampson followed with a single of his own and then, facing Luke Rasmussen, Seabold came out of the game mid at-bat due to an issue in his right leg.
Dylan Prohoroff came in to pitch in relief and got Rasmussen to flyout, advancing Domingues to third. A sacrifice fly scored Domingues and then Daniel Jackson doubled to right to plate Hampson and make it 4-2.
The Titans got one back in the seventh as Richards and Blaser led off with consecutive singles and then each advanced on a sacrifice bunt. A wild pitch by reliever Lucas Jacobsen allowed Richards to score and make it 5-2 Fullerton.
The Titans added another run in the eighth to make it a four-run lead and cap the scoring on the night.
The teams will return to the diamond Friday night for game two as the Titans look to secure sole possession of the conference title and the automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament that comes with it. Lefty John Gavin will get the start for Fullerton while the Dirtbags counter with right-hander Darren McCaughan.
Notes: Hurst drew four walks on Thursday night, the first Titans player to do so since Taylor Bryant on May 8, 2015 against UC Santa Barbara… The Titans scored three times in the first and have now outscored their opponents 35-13 in the opening frame this season. They are now 18-4 when scoring in the first inning… The first five hitters in the Titans lineup combined to go 8-for-21 with four runs scored on Thursday night.