DAVIS, Calif. - Tyler Stieb had his 10th multi-hit game of the season and right-hander Thomas Eshelman tossed a complete-game but it was not enough as Cal State Fullerton dropped a 3-2 Big West Conference decision to UC Davis Friday afternoon at Dobbins Stadium.
The Titans (17-15, 4-3) had their three-game winning streak snapped as the Aggies (20-11-1) scored their first home victory over the Titans in 16 overall meetings.
Stieb went 3-for-4 on the day to lead the Titans offense. Dustin Vaught was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and Scott Hurst was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
On the mound, Eshelman was solid as he pitched the eight-inning complete game, taking his fourth loss of the season. He allowed three earned runs on eight hits and struck out two. It was his second complete game of the season. He retired the side in order in three innings and had a six-pitch first inning and a five-pitch sixth inning en route to the complete game.
The Aggies took a 1-0 in the second inning after Austin March led off the frame with a single. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and came in to score on Spencer Henderson's RBI single to put UC Davis on top.
In the fifth inning, the Aggies padded their lead, sending seven batters to the plate against Eshelman. Brad Pluschkell led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Tino Lipson cashed the run in with a single to center field to make it 2-0 for UC Davis. After Eshelman got Tanner Bily to fly out, the Aggies scratched out another run after Nick Lynch was hit by a pitch and then March singled to center to bring in Lipson and make it 3-0.
After being retired in order in three of the first five innings, the Titans offense was finally able to put something together in the sixth to plate their first run of the game, with a little help from the Aggies. Timmy Richards led off with a walk and then advanced to second after Spencer Koopmans' pick-off throw went into foul territory. Richards took third on a wild pitch and came in to score on an RBI single by Dustin Vaught to cut the deficit to 3-1.
The Titans added another run in the seventh inning after Scott Hurst led off with a single. Stieb added a one-out single and Hurst advanced to third when pinch-hitter Tanner Pinkston hit into a fielder's choice, erasing Stieb. With runners on the corners and two outs, Vaught singled in Hurst to make it 3-2. Josh Vargas walked to load the bases but Josh Estill lined out to second to end the threat.
Vargas has now reached base safely in 15 straight games despite going 0-for-3 on Friday afternoon.
The Titans had one more chance to tie it in the ninth as Stieb led off with his third hit of the day, a single to right. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then got to third on a slow chopper to third by Vaught. But Aggies closer Zach Stone fanned Vargas on three pitches to end the game and secure the win for the Aggies.
Notes: The Aggies recorded their fourth win in 31 games against the Titans. All four victories have been by one run… Jerrod Bravo was 0-for-3 with a walk and has now reached base safely in 19 straight games… Vaught recorded his second two-RBI game on Friday and has now hit safely in five straight games.
