FULLERTON, Calif. – Hank LoForte came through with his fourth three-hit game of the season and Tommy Wilson notched his fifth quality start, as Cal State Fullerton rolled to 10-6 victory over UC Riverside to clinch its eighth straight victory, Saturday evening at Goodwin Field.
The Titans (27-20, 14-3 Big West) have won four consecutive series overall and five consecutive Big West Conference series, while the eight wins in a row is the most since Fullerton also strung together eight straight victories a season ago.
Great outing by @tommy_wilson_ as he picks up his fifth win of the season and the Titans pick up their eighth win in a row. @TomWilsonUSA with the cameo appearance #TusksUp | #EverythingTogether pic.twitter.com/UEECv7JcG8
— Titan Baseball (@BaseballTitans) May 13, 2018
Fullerton's stronghold on the league race continues to grow, as it owns a 4.5 game lead over CSUN and a five game lead over UC Irvine, Long Beach State and Cal Poly with just seven league games remaining at night's end.
Tommy Wilson (W, 5-0) stayed unbeaten on the year, as he tossed 6.0 innings, surrendered three runs on seven scattered hits and struck out eight in the game. He gave up all three runs in the first inning.
LoForte led the way offensively, going 3-of-5 at the plate, while driving in a career-high equaling three RBI, blasting two doubles and scoring a run. He runs his on base streak to an incredible 31 consecutive games and has recorded at least one hit in 20 of his last 21 games.
Overall five separate Titans produced multi-hit games, as Mitchell Berryhill went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a double. Daniel Cope also went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Jairus Richards continued his tear, placing a pair knocks with two runs scored, an RBI to go along with a double.
Tyler Lasch took advantage of his start, producing a hit, two RBI, a walk and scoring twice.
Brett Borgogno continues to grow up through his freshman season, as he recorded a couple of his and drove in a run. Sahid Valenzuela got on base twice, scoring a run, walking once and notching a hit.
Ruben Cardenas drove in a run and Jacob Pavletich scored once.
Weirdly enough, it was UC Riverside (17-28, 5-12 Big West) striking first, coming through with four two out hits to score three runs in the top of the first to put the Titans in an early 3-0 hole.
However, the Titans struck back with a touchdown in the bottom half of the first, plating seven runs on seven hits to take a commanding 7-3 lead and never looked back.
LoForte got the opening frame stated with a double down the left field line, while Berryhill then moved the runners to first and third after a perfectly placed bunt single. Cardenas grounded out, allowing LoForte to come in to score from third to make it 3-1.
Cope then shot a rocket to left center to double home Berryhill and make it 3-2. Valenzuela reached on an infield single and then Pavletich got hit by a pitch to load them up.
Lasch came through with the big blow, scorching a single to right field and then advancing to second on a fielding error, as Valenzuela and Cope both came in to score to put Fullerton on top at 4-3. Richards kept the train moving, as he doubled to right field, bringing home Pavletich. With the score at 5-3, Borgogno produced a sacrifice fly to score Lasch and LoForte came through with his second hit of the inning to bring it to 7-3.
The first inning was pretty much the story of the contest, as 10 of the game's 16 runs were scored in the frame.
The Titans tacked on another in the third, thanks to a LoForte one out double to right after Borgogno and Lasch reached via a single and walk respectively to extend the advantage to 8-3.
The Titans brewed up some more trouble in the fifth, scoring another run off two hits. Richards and Borgogno singled, while Richards eventually scored after LoForte reached on a fielder's choice.
With the score at 9-3, the Titans got one more in the eighth. Berryhill produced a one out double and then scored a on a Cope two out single to center to make it 10-3.
UCR tacked on a three-spot in the ninth, but it wasn't nearly enough.
The Titans aim for their third consecutive sweep and ninth straight victory tomorrow at 1 pm PT in the series finale.
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