FULLERTON, Calif. - Cal State Fullerton had nine hits including two for extra bases but it was not enough as they dropped the home opener to visiting USC 6-4 Tuesday night at Goodwin Field.
The Titans (1-3) outhit the Trojans (4-0) on the night but the visitors put together a four-run fourth inning that proved to be the difference.
Dustin Vaught led the Titans offensively, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and was also hit by a pitch. Second baseman Jake Jefferies was 2-for-3 with an RBI and David Olmedo-Barrera was 1-for-3 with two RBI.
For the Trojans, Garrett Hubbs went 2-for-5 with a run scored and three RBIs while Dante Flores was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Bernardo Flores recorded the win for the Trojans, going three innings in relief. He allowed two runs on three hits and struck out four without issuing a walk.
Miles Chambers was hit with the loss after getting tagged for four earned runs on two hits. He walked one and struck out two.
After falling behind 1-0 in the second, the Titans took the lead in their half of the third. Josh Vargas reached after getting hit by a pitch and then Vaught recorded his second single of the game. After a strikeout, Josh Estill stepped up and recorded an infield single to load the bases for Olmedo-Barrera, who came through with a two-run single to put the Titans up 2-1.
Estill went 1-for-4 on the day with an RBI while Vargas was 1-for-2 with two runs scored and reached base four times.
The Trojans responded in the fourth inning, loading the bases on two singles and a walk to open the frame off Chambers. Reggie Southall struck out on three pitches but the Trojans would tie it when Chambers pelted Bobby Stahel. The Titans called on Willie Kuhl in relief, who immediately struck out A.J. Ramirez for the second out.
Kuhl then got ahead 0-2 on catcher Garrett Stubbs, but the Trojans backstop drove the next pitch deep to left-center out of the reach of left fielder David Olmedo-Barrera to clear the bases and put the Trojans up 5-2.
The Trojans added a run in the seventh before the Titans responded in their half of the frame. Vargas reached on a one-out single and then advanced to second when Vaught was drilled with a pitch. Jefferies then came up and split the gap in right field for a double to plate Vargas and cut the deficit to three. With runners on second and third, Estill hit an RBI groundout to second to bring in Vaught and make it 6-4.
But that's as close as the Titans would get as the Trojans relief duo of Marc Huberman and Kyle Davis combined to retire the final six Titans batters in order, five of them by strikeout. Davis picked up his second save of the year.
The Titans will return to Goodwin Field on Friday night as they host another PAC-12 team in the form of Stanford for the first game of a three-game series. First pitch set for 7 p.m.
Notes: Freshman pitcher Connor Seabold made his second appearance out of the bullpen in as many games and went three innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit. He walked one and struck out six…The Titans lost to the Trojans at Goodwin Field for the first time since 2009 when they dropped a 9-3 decision to USC on April 29. Fullerton is now 25-16 at home against the Trojans… The Titans still lead the all-time series against the Trojans 49-39-1.
