Jordan Olson pitched six solid innings for the win and Jon Williams earned
a save with three scoreless innings as USC beat No. 13 Cal State Fullerton,
6-2, in a nonconference game at Goodwin Field Tuesday night.
The Titans, who concluded their 10-game homestand with an 8-2 mark, fell
to 21-11 overall. The Titans lost for just the fifth time at Goodwin Field
this season (they're 15-5 at home). USC, which has won seven of its past
eight, improved to 19-14.
Olson (1-1), making his third start of the season, picked up first Division
I win. He allowed two runs on five hits over six innings, walking one
and striking out four. Williams allowed just a pair of hits over the final
three innings for his third save on the year.
Fullerton stranded six runners – all over the final four innings.
The Titans left runners on second and third base in both the sixth and
eighth innings.
USC took an early 1-0 lead when Brian Barre jumped on the first pitch
from Fullerton starter Travis Ingle for a double to the right-center field
gap. He moved up to third on a grounder by Michael Moon and scored on
Bill Peavey's groundout to second.
Fullerton's Justin Smyres singlehandedly evened the score in the bottom
of the frame, when he launched his first home run on a 1-0 pitch from
Olson.
Ingle departed after three innings (pitch count) and things unraveled
for Jeff Housman (0-3). The first four batters Housman faced banged out
hits as the Trojans took a 3-1 lead. Charlie Zahari relieved Housman in
the sixth, but also pitched himself into a jam. He hit the first batter
he saw, walked the next and was charged with a throwing error when the
third batter of the inning – Travis McAndrews – laid down a
sacrifice bunt. A fielder's choice RBI by Michael Moon and sac fly by
Matt Bonovich gave USC a 5-1 lead.
Jason Corapci, who went 3-for-4 for the Titans, drove in P.J. Pilittere
with two outs in the sixth, but Burgos grounded out with runners on second
and third. In the eighth, Shane Costa blooped a single to center field
to extend his hitting streak to 14 games and Corapci doubled, but Richie
Burgos grounded out for the final out.
The Titans' Chad Cordero struck out all three batters he faced in the
top of the ninth.
The Titans will travel to Stockton this weekend for a three-game Big West
Conference series against Pacific.
