CLEARWATER, Fla. - No. 23 Cal State Fullerton dropped their second straight game to open the season, falling to Alabama State 3-2 Saturday afternoon on the second day of the Opening Weekend Challenge at Bright House Field.
The Titans (0-2) managed five hits on the afternoon and went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position on the afternoon while the Hornets (1-1) had five hits in 15 opportunities on the day.
Junior Kyle Murray drew the spot start for the Titans and was solid for four and 2/3 innings. He did not allow a run and scattered five hits, striking out one. Prior to Saturday, Murray had never pitched more than two innings in a game with the Titans.
Freshman Chris Hudgins collected his first career hits with the Titans in his first two at-bats, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored while outfielder Josh Vargas also collected his first hit as a Titan along with his first RBI going 1-for-3 on the day.
Hudgins led off the fourth inning with a single to right after doubling to right center in his first at bat. Scott Hurst followed with a perfect bunt along the third base line for a single and the Titans had two on to start the frame. The runners moved over on a groundout to third and then Taylor Bryant drove in his second RBI in as many days with a groundball to second base. Hornets' infielder Kevin Olmeda elected to throw home but Hudgins' slide was good enough to avoid the tag and Fullerton was up 1-0.
Vargas then stepped up with two away in the frame and laced a single to left-center to bring in Hurst and give the Titans a 2-0 lead.
But the advantage was short-lived as the Hornets responded with three runs in the sixth inning thanks to three hits, a walk and two hit batters. P.J. Biocic led off the inning by getting plunked by a pitch from Titans reliever Willie Kuhl and then Einar Muniz blasted a double off the left field wall to bring in Biocic and cut the Titans lead in half. After another hit batter, Miles Chambers came in to pitch and induced a 6-4-3 double play from Hornets catcher Chris Biocic. Chambers then walked Gustavo Rios, who would steal second base on a pitch in the dirt. That proved costly for the Titans as designated hitter Hunter Allen roped a two-run single to put the Hornets up for good.
Chambers took the loss for the Titans but did go four innings in relief, allowing just three hits after the sixth and striking out seven.
For the Hornets, Joseph Camacho earned the victory after going seven innings and scattering six hits. He gave up two runs, walked one and struck out nine. Jorge Pantoja and Armando Ruiz pitched a perfect eighth and ninth innings respectively with Ruiz earning his first save of the season.
The Titans will wrap up the Opening Weekend Challenge Sunday morning when they take on No. 12 Louisville at 8 a.m. PT.
Notes: Saturday afternoon's game was the first meeting between the Titans and Alabama State… The Titans are now 0-2 all-time against teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference. They lost 1-0 to Southern in 1987 at the NCAA Regionals in New Orleans… The Titans have dropped two straight one-run games to open the season. They led the nation in 2014, playing in 26 one-run contests. They went 13-13 in those games last season... Josh Estill entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning, making his first appearance as a Titan… The Titans defense turned four double plays on the afternoon.
