Cal State Fullerton sophomore first baseman Nick Fitzgerald hit his first
two career home runs and drove in a career-high five runs to lead No.
13 Cal State Fullerton to a 10-1 win over ninth-ranked Wichita State Saturday
afternoon at Eck Stadium.
The Titans, who lost to the Shockers in 15 innings on Friday, improved
to 11-7 and handed the Shockers (7-1) their first loss of the season.
Fitzgerald blasted a two-run shot to right-center field in the second
to give the Titans their first runs, then added a three-run homer to center
in the third. Both blasts came off Wichita State starter Justin Maureau,
who fell to 1-1.
Titan starting pitcher Darric Merrell, who allowed just one run on eight
hits in seven innings, improved to 3-2 on the season and is now 7-1 on
the road in his career. Travis Ingle pitched two scoreless innings and
has yet to allow a run this season in 8.2 innings.
Merrell had to work out of several jams, but got needed help from his
defense, which has committed just one error in 24 innings in the series.
The Titans turned three double plays for Merrell, including two that were
started by third baseman Chris Klosterman, making his first start of the
season.
Klosterman also had a solid game at the plate, collecting three hits in
five at bats and driving in a run with an eighth-inning single. Jason
Corapci, who had a 103-degree temperature Saturday morning, was 2-for-5
and had eight assists at second base and Kurt Suzuki also had two hits
for the fourth consecutive game.
Richie Burgos had a pinch-hit RBI-single in the top of the ninth to extend
his hitting streak to 12 games.
The Shockers' only run came in the sixth, when Justin McCarty – who
had a team-high three hits – doubled and scored on a single by Don
Rogers.
The two teams will wrap up their three-game series at Eck Stadium on Sunday
at 1 p.m. CST.
