SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - A three-run fourth inning for Cal Poly proved to be the difference as Cal State Fullerton fell to the Mustangs, 6-3, to drop its first Big West Conference series Sunday afternoon at Baggett Stadium.
The Titans (18-13, 4-2) managed just four hits off three Mustangs (19-11, 2-1) pitchers on Sunday afternoon.
Timmy Richards and Ruben Cardenas each hit solo home runs in the finale and Tanner Pinkston smacked his 10th double of the year to lead the Titans but it was not enough.
Blake Quinn took the loss as he allowed five runs, four earned, on five hits and three walks. He struck out six in three and 2/3 innings.
Jarred Zill scored the win for Cal Poly as he went seven and 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on three hits. He walked three and struck out four.
Fullerton took a 1-0 lead in the first after Richards launched a 2-0 offering from Zill over the left field wall for a solo home run, his fifth of the season.
In the second inning, Josh George singled to center with one out. Michael Sanderson hit a sharp grounder to second for what looked like a double-play ball, but Tristan Hildebrandt had it get past him for an error and put runners at the corners for the Mustangs.
Kevin Morgan singled to drive in the tying run and then Quinn drilled catcher Nick Meyer with the first pitch to load the bases. He would then issue a walk to Dylan Doherty to bring in the go-ahead run. Quinn would limit the damage as he struck out Alex McKenna on three pitches and then fanned Kyle Marinconz to end the frame.
The Mustangs broke it open in the fourth, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring three runs on four hits and two walks to take a 5-1 lead and they never looked back.
Fullerton will return home on the weekend to face UC Davis for a three-game series beginning Friday at 7 p.m., a game that will be shown on ESPN3.
Notes: Cardenas' home run came in the ninth inning and was the first of his career… Sunday was the second time the Titans have hit two or more homers in a game. They are now 1-1. Fullerton is also dropped to 10-3 in games where they hit at least one round-tripper… The Titans are now 13-3 when scoring first in a game and 8-3 when scoring in the first inning… Fullerton is now 1-5 in its last six games at Baggett Stadium, having dropped two straight series there. The Titans' last series win at Cal Poly came in 2013 when they took two of three from the Mustangs.