FULLERTON, Calif. – With two outs and a runner on third base in the bottom of the 11th inning, Jake Harvey singled through the left side to drive in JJ Cruz and give the Titans a 5-4 victory in extra innings Friday night over Hawai'i.
BALLGAME! @jake_harvey2 sends us home! Titans take the first game, 5-4 #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/RV7gLQjD3q
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) May 1, 2021
Cruz led-off the 11th inning with a triple to deep right-center field. However, the Titans recorded back-to-back outs to put Harvey in a tight situation but the first-year transfer was unfazed with the game on the line.
B11 | LEAD-OFF TRIPLE by JJ CRUZ! #TUsksUp pic.twitter.com/6AG0qpSQRa
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) May 1, 2021
Harvey had an all around strong game at the plate Friday night, going 3-for-5 with one run, an RBI and a walk. Cruz had a strong game in limited opportunity after pinch hitting late in the game, going 2-for-2 with two runs.
.@Jake_harvey2 on tonight's walkoff victory. #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/Ww2t7frEBF
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) May 1, 2021
The Titans have been to extra innings in three of the last four games going back to their series with CSUN last weekend. With the win over Hawai'i Friday night, Fullerton is 4-0 in extra innings this season.
Trailing by two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, with runners on first and second and one out, Jason Brandow hit a ball down the right field line to score two runs and tie the game at 4-4 to send the game to extra innings. Brandow came up clutch once again while pinch hitting, this season he is 4-for-5 in pinch hitting situations.
Hawai'i (20-15, 12-13) came out of the gates hot, recording four consecutive hits to take an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Fullerton (18-18, 11-6) quickly responded, scoring two runs in the home half of the first. Jake Harvey was the first Titan to get on base with a one out single which Caden Connor followed up with a double off the wall in right field.
With runners on second and third and one out, Isaiah Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field to give the Titans their first run of the inning. One batter later, Cole Urman crushed a ball to right-center field for his first career triple to drive in Connor and make it a 3-2 game after the first inning.
After the first inning both starting pitchers settled down and looked like the Friday night aces that they are.
Tanner Bibee went seven innings allowing just three earned runs on five hits while striking out four. Bibee allowed four hits in the first inning but didn't allow a single hit again until the sixth inning.
Aaron Davenport struggled in the first inning as well, giving up two runs on three hits. However, Davenport went on to pitch 7.2 innings while allowing seven hits and just two runs to go along with 10 strikeouts. Both pitchers didn't earn a decision in Friday night's game.
Cameron Repetti earned the win for the Titans, improving to 4-0 this season. Repetti pitched the final two innings and allowed just two hits. Tyler Dyball drew the loss for Hawai'i, his first of the season, after going 3.0 innings and giving up three runs on five hits.
Fullerton returns to Goodwin Field Saturday for a doubleheader against Hawai'i. Game one of the doubleheader begins 12:00 p.m. PT with first pitch of game two taking place 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
