FULLERTON, Calif.--- For just the first time in the last 16 home games, the Titans dropped a game at Goodwin Field, falling 12-4 to UC Irvine Sunday afternoon in the series finale.
For Fullerton (26-15, 8-4 Big West), the loss snaps what was a 15-game home win streak, which was the program's longest since 2009. The Titans still won the series over UCI (16-25, 3-9 Big West), improving to 8-2-1 in weekend series this season.
Scott Hurst went 1-of-3 from the plate with two runs scored and two walks, while Hunter Cullen went 1-of-4 with a home run. Taylor Bryant led the way in the RBI department with two.
The Anteaters' Ryan Fitzpatrick was the standout star in this one, going 2-of-5 with two home runs, including a grand slam and 5 RBI. It marked the first time an opponent has hit a grand slam vs. the Titans since Texas Tech's Ryan Long did it on March 8, 2015. It also marked the first time an opposing player has recorded two or more homers vs. the Titans since March 18, 2016.
Things started off well for the Titans, as Hurst led off the game with a walk, Valenzuela then followed with a single to shortstop. Richards laid down a sacrifice bunt to move runners to second and third with just one out before Bryant lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Hurst and put the Titans up 1-0 in the first inning.
However, it was all UC Irvine after that, as the Anteaters caught the Titans at 1-1 in the second, after Fitzpatrick blasted the first of two jacks to centerfield with two outs.
The hit barrage then followed for UCI, scoring five runs off of five hits in the third frame, including Fitzpatrick's grand slam to make it 6-1. Cullen got it to within 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth after his leadoff homer to right field, but that's has close as the Titans would get.
UCI went on to score one in the fourth, three in the sixth and then two more in the seventh to make it 12-2.
Fullerton capitialized on a wild pitch in the eighth to eventually scratch across a couple of runs in the frame to make it 12-4.
Fullerton starter Gavin Velasquez (3-2) went 4.0 innings and took the loss, while UC Irvine's Jordan Bocko (1-4) recorded his first win of the year.
The Titans will continue Big West play with a three game series at Hawaii this weekend, beginning on Friday with first pitch slated for 9:35 pm PT.
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