FULLERTON, Calif. - Sophomore Connor Seabold set a new career high with 12 strikeouts and Dalton Blaser went 4-for-4 as Cal State Fullerton beat UC Riverside 2-1 in a Big West Conference contest Friday night at Goodwin Field.
Seabold went a career-high seven innings for the Titans (28-16, 10-3), shutting down the Highlanders (20-22, 7-6) and scattering four hits. He walked one, his first free pass since April 22 against UNLV when he set his previous career high with 11 strikeouts against the Rebels.
Blaser led the offense as he recorded his second four-hit game of the season, recording his 10th double of the year and scoring one of the Titans two runs. Josh Vargas went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Jake Pavletich was 2-for-4 on the night. Tristan Hildebrandt went 1-for-4 and drove in the game-winning RBI in the second inning.
Austin Sodders took the loss for UC Riverside despite going seven strong innings of his own. He allowed two runs on nine hits and fanned six without issuing a walk.
Fullerton took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Josh Vargas led off with a single through the right side. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and then took third when the catcher's throw to second skipped into center field. With one out, Tanner Pinkston punched a single through the left side to score Vargas and put the Titans on top early.
It became 2-0 in the second inning when Dalton Blaser led off with a double down the right field line. He advanced to third on a sacrifice and then, with two outs, Tristan Hildebrandt singled to short to score Blaser and give the Titans a two-run lead.
The scoreboard remained stagnant until the eighth inning when pinch-hitter Yeager Taylor hit the third pitch he saw from Fullerton reliever Scott Serigstad deep and over the right field wall for a solo home run to lead off the frame and cut the Titans lead to 2-1.
The teams will return to action Saturday afternoon with first pitch set for 1 p.m. at Goodwin Field.
Notes: Blaser has two of the Titans three four-hit games this season… Serigstad picked up his third save of the year and all of them have been multi-inning saves… The Titans are now 7-8 this season in one-run games… Fullerton scored in the first inning for the 18th time this year. They are now 14-4 when scoring in the first and have outscored opponents 26-12 in the opening frame… Fullerton is now 19-4 when scoring first in a game.