Nathan Mitchell allowed just one hit over the
final 4.1 innings as No. 25 Houston held off 11th-ranked Cal State Fullerton,
7-3, in a Kia Baseball Bash game at Goodwin Field Friday night.
The Titans, who fell to 9-5, committed four errors that led to five unearned
runs and standed eight runners – five in scoring position. Houston,
which captured a series from LSU last weekend, improved to 7-4. The win
also marked Houston's first over the Titans in eight tries.
Wes Littleton (3-2) lost for the first time since the season opener at
Stanford. He allowed seven runs (only two earned) on eight hits in seven
innings. Jeff Housman and Sean Martin combined to allow just one hit over
the final two innings.
Mitchell (1-0) picked up his first win in relief of starter Brad Sullivan,
who allowed all three Titans runs in 4.2 innings.
Houston broke a 2-2 tie with a pair of runs in the fifth. Brett Cooley
and Gabe Lucas led off with consecutive singles. After a wild pitch moved
each runner up 90 feet, Micahel Bourn drove in the go-ahead run with a
groundout to second base. But when Jesse Crain also hit a grounder to
second, Jason Corapci's errant throw home allowed another run across.
The Titans countered with one run in bottom of the frame – when
Sullivan walked Geoff Comfort with the bases loaded – but Mitchell
entered and extinguised the rally with some help from Cooley, the third
baseman. With the bases loaded, Cooley stopped a hard chopper off the
bat of Nick Fitzgerald and made a perfect throw to second base for the
final out.
The Cougars increased the lead to 7-3 in the seventh when a two-out throwing
error by third baseman Richie Burgos – his second of the night –
opened the door for three more runs.
Lucas went 3-for-4 with three runs to pace the Cougars while Thanos Papavisiliou
was 2-for-4. The Titans did not have a player with more than one hit.
Houston will continue play in the Kia Bash with a 2:30 p.m. game vs. USC
on Saturday. The Titans will meet Miami at 7 p.m.
