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Freshmen
Hurlers Combine to Stop UC Riverside Apr. 28, 2001 – Fullerton, Calif. Freshman pitcher Darric Merrell won his fourth consecutive game and freshman Chad Cordero earned his eighth save as No. 8 Cal State Fullerton beat UC Riverside, 4-1, in a nonconference baseball game at Goodwin Field Saturday night. The Titans, who have won four games in a row and 18 of their last 19, improved to 32-11 overall, while the Highlanders dropped to 16-28. Fullerton also clinched the series win, its 10th in a row since dropping the season-opening series to Stanford. Merrell (5-2), who walked four and struck out seven, allowed just one run and scattered six hits in seven strong innings, but was lifted when the Highlanders’ first two batters reached base in the eighth inning. Cordero came on and struck out the first two batters he faced on six pitches before inducing a soft liner to third base on the next pitch. UC Riverside’s Rich Hofman reached on an infield single to start the ninth, but Cordero retired the next three batters. The Titans broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning when Matt Belfanti doubled, moved to third on a groundout by Shawn Norris and scored on a wild pitch. Riverside also took advantage of a wild pitch to tie the game, 1-1, in the sixth. Adam Spiker walked, moved up on a sac bunt and took third on Merrell’s wild pitch. Brian Wahlbrink’s infield single plated Spiker to tie the game. Jason Corapci singled and Aaron Rifkin followed with a double to deep left-center to open the bottom of the sixth. After Brett Kay struck out, Mike Rouse drove in Corapci with a ground ball to second base and Chris Stringfellow blooped a single to right for the Titan’s third run. Rifkin hit a solo home run, his 11th, that barely cleared the centerfield fence in the eighth for Fullerton’s final run. Riverside’s Julio Fernandez pitched a complete game, allowing nine hits and one walk while striking out six, but he fell to 5-4. The Titans’ David Bacani failed to reach base for the first time this season and had his 11-game hitting streak snapped as well. The Titans will host the Highlanders in the final game of the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Box score
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