SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton Baseball rallied to score three runs in the ninth inning to defeat UC Santa Barbara, 7-6, Sunday afternoon at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. The Titans are now 5-13 this season and 1-2 in Big West play.
Fullerton trailed by two runs, 6-4, heading into the final frame. With one out Austin Schell got the rally going on a double down the right field to get the tying run to the plate. From there chaos would ensue.
Schell came around to score on a bunt by Caden Connor that led to an error by the third baseman. Schell, realizing there was no one to grab the ball behind the third baseman, rounded third and scored to cut the deficit to just one run.
Taking advantage of mistakes! Titans make it a one run game. #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/GOlX4ToB5A
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) March 20, 2022
Following a Jackson Lyon single and a Brendan Bobo walk, the Titans had the bases loaded with just one out. Jake Gentry stepped to the plate to pinch hit and put the ball in play to the first baseman who tried to turn a double play but had an errant throw to the shortstop which allowed Connor and Lyon to score the game-tying and winning runs.
Titans take the lead! #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/8sxOvpOVbw
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) March 20, 2022
Head Coach Jason Dietrich turned to his closer, Michael Weisberg, to get the final three outs of the game and secure the win. Weisberg retired the side in order including a strikeout for the final out of the game to record his first save of the season.
Ball game! #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/fHTIsmailu
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) March 20, 2022
The two teams exchanged blows early in the game as Santa Barbara scored two in the bottom of the first and third while Fullerton scored two in the top of the second and fourth.
In the second inning, the Titans scored their two runs on RBI singles by JJ Cruz and J.T. Navyac. In the fourth, it was an RBI single by Lyon and a sacrifice fly from Brendan Bobo, who popped up to short right center field but Jack Haley showed off his speed to get home and tied the game at 4-4.
Lyon went 3-for-5 on the day with a run and an RBI while Connor went 3-for-5 with one run. Zach Lew went 2-for-4 Sunday with one run and a walk.
UC Santa Barbara took the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning on a two-run home run before the Titans ninth inning rally.
Fullerton heads to USC Tuesday for a midweek matchup before returning home to Goodwin Field for its Big West Conference home-opener against UC Riverside on Friday.
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