LINCOLN, Neb. - David Olmedo-Barrera blasted a go-ahead, two-run home run and Tyler Peitzmeier recorded his eighth save in as many chances as Cal State Fullerton defeated Nebraska 4-3 Wednesday afternoon at Hawks Field in Haymarket Park.
The Titans (12-12) got solid pitching from Miles Chambers, Willie Kuhl and Peitzmeier as the three pitchers held the Cornhuskers (18-7) to just two earned runs. The Titans victory also snapped the Cornhuskers 11-game winning streak, all coming at Hawks Field.
Chambers got the nod on a staff day and recorded his first victory of the season, going four innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits. Kuhl was next in line and went two and 1/3 innings and allowed one run on three hits, striking out one.
Peitzmeier slammed the door on the Cornhuskers offense, pitching two and 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed two hits and struck out four including three of the first five batters he faced.
Offensively, freshman Scott Hurst led the way for the Titans as he went 3-for-4 with three singles and two RBIs while Olmedo-Barrera was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
The Titans took a 2-0 lead in the first inning after sending seven men to the plate. Olmedo-Barrera led off with an infield single and then moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Stieb. Josh Estill was hit by a pitch and then, with two outs, Jerrod Bravo drew a walk on five pitches to load the bases. Hurst stepped in and smacked a two-run single to left-center to give Fullerton the early lead.
Nebraska responded in the second inning, capitalizing on a Titans error to score two runs. With two men aboard and two outs, shortstop Jake Placzek hit a single to drive in Austin Darby from second base to trim the Titans lead to one. Then Ryan Boldt hit a grounder to second that should have ended the inning, but Josh Vargas' throw spiked into the ground in front of Estill at first to allow the tying run to score and lock the game at 2-2.
In the fourth inning, the Titans regained the lead after Timmy Richards reached on an error and then Olmedo-Barrera blasted his second home run of the season into the bullpen in right field to put the Titans up 4-2.
The Cornhuskers would trim that lead to one in the fifth on an RBI groundout by first baseman Scott Schreiber, scoring Blake Headley to make it 4-3 but that would be the last of the scoring on the day.
The Titans will now hit the road to face CSUN on Friday afternoon in the Big West Conference opener at Matador Field.
Notes: Peitzmeier, who's home town of Yutan, Neb. is a little more than an hour drive from Lincoln, is a perfect 8-for-8 in save opportunities this season. Wednesday's outing was his longest in a save situation… The Titans are now 9-1 all-time against Nebraska and recorded their first win in Lincoln on Wednesday… Jerrod Bravo's eight-game hitting streak was snapped Wednesday but he did reach base safely for the 13th consecutive game… The Titans recorded their first victory of the season when they hit a home run. They were 0-5 prior to Wednesday's win.