DAVIS, Calif. - The first four batters in the Cal State Fullerton batting order went 11-for-17 with a double, home run, seven RBIs and eight runs scored to lead a 10-6 victory over UC Davis Saturday afternoon at Dobbins Stadium.
The Titans (18-15, 5-3) scored six runs in the first two innings and touched up the Aggies (20-12-1, 4-4) for a run in six of the nine innings. The Titans also had at least one hit in the first seven innings and had at least one batter reach base in every inning.
Josh Vargas led the charge for the Titans, going 4-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. He reached base in all five plate appearances as he also drew a walk. Dustin Vaught was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Josh Estill was 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs to go along with two runs scored. David Olmedo-Barrera was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run scored.
Justin Garza picked up the win on the mound for the Titans despite allowing a season-high five earned runs on seven hits in five innings of work. He walked two and struck out two. Maxwell Gibbs, Willie Kuhl, Miles Chambers and Tyler Peitzmeier pitched four innings of effective relief, combining to allow just one run on four hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Peitzmeier picked up his 12th save of the season, which leads the nation.
For the Aggies, Izaak Silva led the way as he went 4-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and a run scored. Seven other players recorded a hit including Tanner Bily, whose home run in the seventh inning was the Aggies only run in the last six innings of action.
Raul Jacobson took the loss as he gave up eight earned runs on 11 hits in four and 1/3 innings. He struck out four.
The Titans jumped on the Aggies and starter Raul Jacobson right away, scoring three times in the first inning on four hits, sending seven men to the plate. Vaught led off with a single to center. Vargas followed with a single through the right side with Vaught on the move and the Titans quickly had runners at the corners with no outs for the heart of the order.
Estill cashed in the first run as he smacked the first pitch he saw from Jacobson into right field for a single and then Olmedo-Barrera hammered the first offering he got into left-center for an RBI double and the Titans were up 2-0 quickly. Scott Hurst capped off the scoring with a one-out groundout to second to score Estill and put the Titans up 3-0.
The lead was short-lived as the Aggies came back with three runs on four hits of their own in the first to tie the game. Tino Lipson doubled to right to lead off the frame and then advanced to third on a throwing error by Hurst. Lipson scored on a one-out triple by Nick Lynch to cut the deficit to 3-1. An RBI groundout by Austin March scored Lynch to make it 3-2. Silva then singled with two outs and Spencer Williams blasted the first pitch he saw from Garza off the base of the wall in right to score Silva, but Williams was thrown out at third to end the frame with the teams tied 3-3.
The Titans responded with a two-out rally in the second, ignited again by the top of the order as Vaught and Vargas had back-to-back two-out singles. Estill then stepped in and fell behind 0-2 in the count. Estill spit on a couple of pitches before launching a 2-2 offering clear over the trees behind the wall in left-center for a three-run homer to put the Titans on top 6-3.
The Aggies clawed back in the third, again getting to Garza. Bily drew a one-out walk and then Lynch reached on a fielder's choice as Vaught tried to get Bily at second but the throw was late and the Aggies had two on with nobody out. March struck out but both runners advanced on a wild pitch on the third strike and Silva capitalized as he singled up the middle to bring in both runs and make it 6-5.
But that's as close as the Aggies would get as the Titans scored a run in the next four innings to put the game away.
The Aggies did mount one last stand in the ninth as March doubled with two outs and then Silva singled off of Chambers to force the Titans to call on their closer to get the final out. Peitzmeier walked pinch-hitter Mason Novak but then fanned pinch-hitter Ryan Hooper on three pitches to close the game out.
The teams will return to action Sunday in the rubber match as the Titans send freshman John Gavin to the mound while the Aggies will look to right-hander Max Cordy to secure the Aggies first series win over Fullerton all-time.
Notes: Vaught extended his hitting streak to six games on Saturday… Tyler Stieb went 2-for-5 for his team-best 11th multi-hit game of the year. He also extended his hitting streak to four games… Vargas has now reached base in 14 consecutive games. He also recorded the team's third four-hit game of the season and first since A.J. Kennedy had four hits on March 6 against Texas Tech… Olmedo-Barrera's double in the opening inning was his first of the season and 10th extra-base hit of the year.
