FULLERTON, Calif. – With the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Isaiah Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Zach Lew and win the game in walk-off fashion against No. 21 UC Santa Barbara, 10-9, Sunday afternoon.
The Titans (6-12, 2-2) scratched and clawed the entire game in true Titan fashion to secure the win, overcoming three deficits and eventually scoring the winning run in extra innings. Fullerton won the final two games this weekend to split the conference series with UC Santa Barbara (11-7, 2-2)
Trailing 7-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Titans scored five runs to regain the lead. Cole Urman and Lew got the inning going with back-to-back walks before Austin Schell drove in Urman on an infield groundout.
After two more walks from Jake Gentry and JJ Cruz, Jason Brandow came to the plate to pinch hit with the bases loaded and crushed a bases clearing double to left field to put the Titans on top, 8-7. The play was initially called a grand slam but was overturned to a three RBI double. Following a base hit from Carter White, Caden Connor once again came up clutch with a RBI single to score Brandow and extend the Titans lead to 9-7.
Connor had an impressive weekend at the plate for the Titans, going 8-for-18 with two doubles, three runs and four RBI to go along with two walks. Following the series, Connor is hitting .311 with seven RBI.
UC Santa Barbara tied the game in the top of the ninth inning on a two-run home run by Broc Mortensen. However, the Titans clearly didn't let that affect them in extra innings.
After trailing 1-0 in the second inning, Brendan Bobo blasted a home run to right field, sending the ball into the Fullerton Arboretum for his first collegiate home run. The freshman drove in Gentry who led off the inning with a single to left field.
Both Bobo and Gentry had outstanding games as Bobo went 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBI while drawing two walks. Gentry went 3-for-6 on the day and also had two runs and two RBI.
First-year transfer Carter White recorded his first hit of the season in game three of the series on Saturday. In game four Sunday, White went 3-for-5 at the plate and always seemed to come up with a timely base hit to keep innings alive.
Michael Knorr started the game on the mound and pitched six innings, giving up four runs while striking out four. Cameron Repetti made just his second pitching appearance of the season and earned his first collegiate win after going two innings and allowing one run.
The Titans look to keep the momentum going next weekend as they hit the road for a four-game conference series against UC Riverside beginning Friday at 6:00 p.m. PT.
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