FULLERTON, Calif.--- Scott Hurst blasted two round trippers, accounting for just two of Fullerton's five home runs in the game, as the Titans ran away with a 12-3 victory over UC Santa Barbara to claim their 10th weekend series win of the season, Sunday afternoon at Goodwin Field.
For Fullerton (31-17, 12-6 Big West), the 10 weekend series victories already matches last year's total with still two weekends left to play. The home runs were the most Fullerton had hit in a game, since also crushing five jacks on April 17th, 2010 vs. UCSB. The Titans' eight-run third inning marked their biggest inning of the season, while Hurst became the first Titan to record two home runs in a game since Dalton Blaser hit two vs. UC Riverside on May 8, 2016.
Hurst, Taylor Bryant, Tristan Hildebrandt and Chris Hudgins all recorded home runs in the game.
Hurst led the way going 2-of-5 from the dish with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored thanks to his two dingers. Bryant notched his team-best fifth three-hit game of the season, while picking up two RBI and two runs scored. He fell just a double short of the cycle.
Richards was a perfect 2-of-2 from the plate with an RBI triple and a run scored. Hildebrandt notched his first career jack, going 1-of-2 at the dish with two RBI. Hudgins blasted his second home run of the series, recording two RBI and a run scored.
Hunter Cullen also had a big game, collecting two hits, two RBI and a run scored, including a bases-clearing triple.
Overshadowed by the offensive onslaught, was the return of last year's Freshman All-American, Colton Eastman, who pitched in his first game since Feb 25th vs. UNLV. He got the start and threw an effective 2.1 innings, while surrendering two hits and a run, while striking out three on a pitch count.
Blake Workman (6-1) picked up the win in relief, as he surrendered just two runs in 4.2 innings pitched. UC Santa Barbara (21-27, 7-11 Big West) starter Chris Lincoln (1-3) took the loss, pitching 2.2 innings and giving up three runs.
The Gauchos struck first, scoring a run off of two hits in the third, thanks to an Armani Smith RBI double. However the lead was short lived, as the Titans pounded out eight runs on five hits in their half of the third inning take permanent control of the game with an 8-1 lead.
Fullerton sent 11 men to the plate in the frame and blasted three homers in the inning. All five hits came with two out in the inning.
Sahid Valenzuela extended his on-base streak to 12 games, reaching with a one out walk. He then advanced to second on a wild pitch before Dillon Persinger struck out. Bryant then launched a monster two-run homer to dead center field to score two runs and put Fullerton on top 2-1. Richards and Hank LoForte then walked, before Cullen came through with a bases clearing triple to left field to make it 4-1. Hudgins then made it 6-1 with a two-run bomb of his own to left field. Prescott then singled through the left side before Hurst took a ball out to right field for a two-run shot in his second at bat of the inning to make it an 8-1 Titan lead.
Fullerton wasn't done, as the Titans scored in four consecutive innings from the third through the sixth frame. Richards recorded a one-out triple down the left field line to score Persinger, who began the fourth with a base knock to right.
With the lead at 9-1, Hurst picked up another one for the Titans in the fifth, pounding a ball off the right field foul pole for his second home run of the game to make it 10-1.
UCSB inched a little closer in the sixth, scoring two runs off of three hits to it a 10-3 ballgame, but the Titans struck right back, putting up a two spot in their half of the sixth, thanks to Hildebrant's two-run homer to left.
Eight of the Titans' 14 hits on the day went for extra bases.
Fullerton will conclude its five-game homestand tomorrow vs. St. Mary's at 6 pm PT.
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