MALIBU, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton baseball swept Sunday's doubleheader against Pepperdine to secure the series victory. With the two wins Sunday the Titans improve to 6-7 on the year and have won back-to-back weekend series.
Game One: Titans 10, Pepperdine 8
With runners on second and third in the top of the 12th inning, Carter White did what he does best, come up in clutch situations. White hit a double to right field to bring home Cole Urman and Colby Wallace and score the game-winning runs.
Jojo Ingrassia closed out the bottom of the 12th inning to earn his first collegiate win. Ingrassia pitched three shutout innings, giving up just three hits while striking out a career-high five batters.
The Titans flipped the switch on Pepperdine in the first game of the doubleheader, jumping out to a 4-0 lead on four runs in the fourth inning.
Caden Connor started off the inning being hit by a pitch before Maddox Latta singled to give the Titans runners on first and second with one out. The next batter, Colby Wallace, ripped a double to right center field to clear the bases and put the Titans up 2-0.
Make it two, Colby! #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/oi2II3oHuV
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) March 12, 2023
With two outs in the inning, Brendan Bobo hit a two-run home run to right center field to give Fullerton a 4-0 lead. Bobo leads the team with four home runs this season.
The construction workers got a nice souvenir from B��B��!#TusksUp | @brendan_bobo pic.twitter.com/l9fFZZreSP
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) March 12, 2023
Pepperdine quickly responded with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Greg Mehlhaff.
Fullerton answered right back with three runs in the fifth inning to extend its lead. The Titans scored in a different style in the fifth, scoring all three runs on RBI singles by Wallace, Bobo and Cole Urman.
The Waves cut into the Titans lead with four runs on four hits in the bottom half of the sixth inning before tying the game at 7-7 in the seventh inning.
The Titans regained the lead in the top of the eighth inning on a wild pitch that allowed Jack Haley to score from third. Haley got to third on heads up baserunning on a sacrifice bunt when he saw no one was covering third base for Pepperdine.
Pepperdine once again answered, scoring one run in the home half of the eighth inning to tie the game at 8-8 and force extra innings.
Trevor Hinkel got the start on the mound for Fullerton and pitched six innings, giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits while walking two and striking out three batters.
Brandon Llewellyn started for Pepperdine and allowed seven earned runs on nine hits in five innings of work with two walks and two strikeouts.
Game Two: Titans 5, Pepperdine 1
Fullerton once again got off to an early lead in the second game, scoring one run on an RBI double by Zach Lew to bring home Carter White.
Titans take an early lead thanks to @zachlew20! #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/sq7ByG1JpH
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) March 12, 2023
The Waves answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first inning to tie the game at 1-1.
From that point on the Titans dominated the game, out-scoring Pepperdine 4-0 in the final six innings. The two teams agreed to a seven inning game due to Pepperdine not having lights.
The Titans scored one run in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh inning on their way to a 5-1 victory.
In the fourth inning, Moises Guzman scored on a balk by the Pepperdine pitcher. Max Ortega hit an RBI double off the wall to bring home Lew in the fifth to put the Titans up 3-1.
First extra base hit for @_MaxOrtega_ comes in a big moment!
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) March 12, 2023
Titans take a 3-1 lead!#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/wQKu6loht7
Maddox Latta came through for Fullerton in the sixth inning with an RBI to score White and make it a 4-1 one game for the Titans. In the seventh, Jack Haley singled through the left side of the infield to score Guzman and put the team up 5-1.
Peyton Jones earned the win for the Titans after pitching four no-hit innings in relief. Jones (1-0) walked just one while striking out a career-high six batters.
Ball game! @peytonjonesy closes it out for the Titans win! #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/zmxzu9OW5M
— Titans Baseball (@FullertonBSB) March 13, 2023
Fullerton is back in action Wednesday as Arizona comes to Goodwin Field for a midweek matchup. First pitch is slated for 6:00 p.m. PT.
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