FULLERTON, Calif. - In his first start of the season, sophomore Connor Seabold flirted with a no-hitter as Cal State Fullerton scored its first shutout victory of the season, a 5-0 nonconference win over Wichita State Saturday night at Goodwin Field.
The Titans (8-6) held the Shockers (4-10) to their lowest hit output of the season as Fullerton pitchers fanned nine batters without issuing a walk.
Seabold pitched an immaculate inning in the first, striking out the side on nine strikes to get the game started. He would pick up his first victory of the season as he went six innings and allowed one hit with six strikeouts on 71 pitches.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Titans offense put their pitcher ahead right away as Josh Vargas led off the inning with his first career home run, a blast over the right-center field fence.
Timmy Richards then drew a walk from Shockers starter Willie Schwanke and Tanner Pinkston smacked a double to left field to bring in Richards from first and make it 2-0. Pinkston eventually advanced to third and then scored on an infield single from Scott Hurst to put Fullerton ahead 3-0 after one.
In the second, the Titans added another as Tyler Stieb led off with a triple to right-center and then Coby Kauhaahaa singled down the right-field line to bring in Stieb and make it 4-0.
They would add another run in the fifth and it was more than enough as Seabold took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before allowing single to Tanner Kirk with one-out and a man on first. Seabold would get out of it and finish his day allowing just one hit and four base runners through six.
Dylan Prohoroff came in to pitch in the seventh and retired six straight batters and Chad Hockin shut the door in the ninth, retiring the side in order.
Offensively, Vargas led the way for Fullerton as he was 2-for-4, his fourth multi-hit game of the season. Pinkston, Hudgins, Hurst, Stieb, Hildebrandt and Kauhaahaa also tallied hits for the Titans.
Fullerton will look for the sweep on Sunday afternoon with freshman Colton Eastman taking the hill for the Titans while the Shockers counter with right-hander Zach Lewis.
Notes: Seabold lowered his ERA to 0.81 on the season and has a 10:1 strikeout-to-walk (20 Ks, 2 BB) on the season… The Titans are now 5-0 against Wichita State at Goodwin Field all-time… Dalton Blaser went 0-for-4 on Saturday night, snapping his six-game hitting streak… Hurst is now on a four-game hitting streak… Pinkston has driven in six runs in the first two games of this series… Vargas' leadoff home run in the first was the second time a Titans player has led off the game for Fullerton with a homer. Timmy Richards led off with a home run on March 5 at Texas Tech.