Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton (20-30, 13-18) split the doubleheader with Long Beach State ( 23-15, 21-14) Saturday afternoon at Goodwin. The Titans took game one 11-3 while the Dirtbags won game two of the doubleheader 10-4.
Game One
After three innings the Titans trailed 3-2 but came roaring back to score nine unanswered runs to even up the series with an 11-3 victory.
Fullerton exploded for four runs in the fifth inning and five runs in the eighth to blow the game open and secure a commanding win.
Austin Schell was a key part of the Titans victory as he drove in a career-high six runs. It is the first time a Titan has had six RBI since Scott Hurst had seven in May of 2017 and the first time since Ruben Cardenas in May of 2016 that a Titan has had exactly six RBI in a game.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning, Schell came up with a bases-clearing double to right center field to give Fullerton a 5-3 lead. In the eighth, Schell stepped to the plate with two runners on and crushed a home run to left field, his third of the season. Schell went 2-for-5 with two runs and six RBI.
Deylan Pigford followed up Schell in the the fifth inning with a double to left field, driving in Schell and extending the Titans lead to 6-3. Pigford has a team-high 12 RBI this season.
JT Navyac got the scoring for the Titans in the bottom of the second with a two-run triple. Navyac sent a ball down the right field line that got lost along the wall, giving him the opportunity to go for an in the park home run. Navyac appeared to be safe at the plate but was called out on the play.
Following Schell's home run in the eighth inning, the Titans went on to score two more runs to add to their lead. With Cole Urman on first, Nate Nankil hit his first career triple to give Fullerton a 10-3 lead. One batter later Jake Harvey drove in Nankil on an RBI double to extend the lead to 11-3.
Tanner Bibee earned the win for Fullerton after entering the game in relief in the third inning, improving to 7-5 this season. Bibee pitched 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out five. It is just his second appearance out of the bullpen this season.
Gavin Kennedy started the game for the Titans and gave up three runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings of work. Peyton Jones pitched the final frame, giving up just one hit while striking out two.
Long Beach's Alfredo Ruiz drew his first loss of the season after giving up six earned runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings pitched. Ruiz is now 4-1 this season.
Game Two
For the third straight game Long Beach State got on the board in the first inning. The Dirtbags scored three in the first and one in the second to take a 4-0 lead.
The Titans responded in the home half of the second with two runs of their own to cut the deficit to 4-2. Nate Nankil got on base first in the inning on a walk which Jake Harvey answered with a triple down the left field line to make it a 4-1 game.
One batter later the Dirtbags pulled the infield with a runner at third and just one out but Josh Urps crushed a ball through the right side of the infield to bring home Harvey.
Long Beach answered back with one run in the top of the third inning before Fullerton responded in the bottom of the third with one run. The Titans scored on a throwing error by the Long Beach pitcher, allowing Schell to get home from second base on a bunt by Cole Urman to make the score 5-3.
Fullerton scored for the third consecutive inning in the bottom of the fourth. With runners on first and third and two outs, Schell came up with another clutch RBI to drive in Urps. Schell had a great day at the dish for the Titans, going 5-for-9 with three runs and seven RBI.
Wyatt Johnson started the game on the mound for Fullerton and got his first decision of the season, moving to 0-1 this season. Johnson went two innings, giving up four runs on five hits.
Marques Johnson earned the win for Long Beach after coming on in relief in the third inning. Johnson picked up his first win of the season after throwing four shutout innings and allowing just one hit while striking out eight.
Fullerton looks to even up the season series Sunday afternoon at Goodwin Field on senior day. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. with the senior day ceremony beginning at 12:30 p.m. PT.