SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Josh George hit the first pitch he saw from Cal State Fullerton reliever Miles Chambers to center field for a game-winning sacrifice fly, bringing in Kyle Marinconz to give Cal Poly a 1-0 Big West Conference win over the Titans in 10 innings Saturday afternoon at Baggett Stadium.
The Titans (18-12, 4-1) had their six-game winning streak snapped by the Mustangs (18-11, 1-1), who out hit Fullerton 9-3 on Saturday.
Marinconz singled to short with one out in the 10th and then Brett Barbier doubled off the wall in left field to put the winning run 90 feet away against Titans reliever John Gavin. George then hit the first pitch from Chambers deep to center, allowing Marinconz to score easily and help the Mustangs even the series.
Gavin took the loss for Fullerton, going two in 2/3 innings of sharp relief. He allowed one run on three hits, walked two and struck out four.
Both teams struggled to get anything going against the starting pitchers as Erich Uelmen held the Titans to just one hit through six while Colton Eastman allowed just three hits to the Mustangs in the same stretch.
Both teams' best chances to score in regulation came in the seventh inning. For the Titans, Jerrod Bravo and Dalton Blaser drew a pair of walks against Uelmen and then Josh Vargas singled to load the bases. But Uelmen got Scott Hurst to ground into a double play to end the threat and keep the game tied, with Hurst getting ejected by the first-base umpire.
In the Mustangs' half of the seventh, Josh George led off with a walk but got himself picked off by Titans catcher Chris Hudgins. That proved to be costly as the next four batters also reached base. Michael Sanderson and Kevin Morgan each singled and catcher Nick Meyer with a single to right. Sanderson was waved around and Ruben Cardenas, newly inserted in right field, made the perfect throw to the plate to get Sanderson and keep the game tied.
Gavin then relieved Eastman and hit Dylan Doherty to load the bases, but bounced back to strike out Alex McKenna with a full count to end the threat and send the game into the eighth still tied 0-0.
Eastman went six and 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed six hits. He walked three and struck out five en route to a no-decision.
Uelmen went seven and 2/3 for the Mustangs, allowing just two hits. He walked four and struck out six.
Notes: The game was moved up from a 6 p.m. start time to a 12:30 p.m. start due to incoming inclement weather in the evening… Blaser went 0-for-1 with three walks, snapping his 10-game hitting streak… The Titans are now 12-6 this season when allowing two or fewer runs… Saturday marked the fourth time the Titans were shutout this season… Fullerton is now 2-3 in extra innings and 5-8 in one-run games.