TEMPE, Ariz. --- Seventh-ranked Fullerton plated a season-high 10 runs en route to a 10-4 comeback victory over Arizona State, Tuesday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
For the Titans (6-4), the win marked its second straight, while it was also its fourth victory over its last five contests. The 11 hits and eight walks each equaled season bests, while Fullerton at one point scored in four consecutive innings. It was the first time that's happened since the Titans scored in five straight frames on May 14, 2016 at UC Santa Barbara. Fullerton's four-run ninth was also the most the Titans have recorded in an inning so far this year.
On the pitching side, it was sophomore Blake Workman who stole the show, as he earned his first career win, setting new career bests in innings pitched and strikeouts. After the Sun Devils scored four runs in the first four fames, Workman shut them down, tossing 4.0 innings of scoreless relief, while allowing just three hits and fanning four.
The Ramona, Calif. native entered the ballgame in a critical moment after the Titans had cut what was a three run deficit to just one, thanks to a clutch two-out rally in the top of the fifth, where Sahid Valenzuela tripled to centerfield to bring home JT McLellan who had reached on a walk. Scott Hurst then made it back-to-back two-out knocks, as he singled up the middle to bring home the second run of the inning to make it a 4-3 game.
Workman kept the momentum rolling in Fullerton's favor, as he got a huge inning-ending strikeout of Gage Canning with a runner on third base to shut down ASU in the fifth.
Fullerton then tied things up at 4-4 in the sixth, as Chris Prescott picked up an RBI single through the right side, after Hank Loforte and Chris Hudgins led off the fame with a walk and base knock respectively.
The Titans were able to manufacture two runs in the seventh, as LoForte stroked a one-out single to right field to give the Titans a 5-4 lead. He later scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-4.
Fullerton then blew things open in the ninth, as Titan catchers Niko Pacheco and Hudgins blasted back-to-back triples, eventually leading to four Fullerton runs in the inning.
Eight different Titans picked up at least one hit in the game, while Fullerton forced ASU to use seven different pitchers on the evening. Hudgins led the way, going 2-of-5 at the plate, recording two RBI, a triple and a run scored. Valenzuela also went 2-of-4 at the dish with a triple, RBI and two runs scored. LoForte and Hurst also scored two runs apiece.
Fullerton will try and claim the two-game series sweep, as it'll play Arizona State again on Wednesday at 5:30 pm PT.
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