Kyle Boyer was 3-for-5 with four RBI, including a go-ahead two-run single
to key a six-run ninth as No. 13 Cal State Fulleton capped a sweep of
Fresno State with a 10-4 win at Pete Beiden Field Sunday afternoon.
The Titans improved to 6-0, which ties them with the 1977 team for the
best start ever by a Fullerton squad. Fresno State fell to 1-3.
Boyer drilled a 2-2 offering from Chad Edwards into right-center field
with one out in the ninth to score Ronnie Prettyman and pinch-runner Bobby
Andrews. The Titans added a pair of insurance runs on a two-run single
by designated hitter Sergio Pedroza, scored a ninth run when right fielder
Kyle Atrat dropped a fly ball and reached double figures on a balk by
Bulldog pitcher Gil Infante.
Chad Cordero (1-0), who threw the final 2.2 innings., picked up his first
win of the season. Fresno State's Josh Glynn (0-1), who gave up a leadoff
single to Prettyman to open the ninth and was the first of four Bulldog
pitchers to take the mound in the ninth, suffered the loss.
Justin Smyres, who hit leadoff homers in each of the first two games of
the series, drilled the first pitch of the game down the left field line
for a double. He moved to third on sac bunt by Prettyman and scored on
a sac fly by Richie Burgos to give the Titans a 1-0 lead and mark the
fifth time in six games this season that the Titans have scored in the
first inning.
Fresno State's Brian Pierce tied the game at 1-1 on one swing in the second,
when he led off with a solo homer to left-center field off Titan starter
Dustin Miller.
Fullerton built a 4-1 lead in the top of the fifth, thanks to some shaky
Bulldog fielding. After Prettyman led off with a single through the left
side, Shane Costa hit a grounder to third, but Casey McGehee's throw to
second sailed into right field and both runners were safe. Two batters
later, Boyer lofted a ball into right field that was badly misjudged by
Aaron Kempster. Boyer was credited with a double and a pair of RBI to
put the Titans up, 3-1. Boyer stole third and scored on a sac fly by Justin
Turner.
But the Bulldogs again drew even with the Titans with three runs in the
bottom of the frame. Miller walked Kempster and gave up back-to-back singles
to Joey Myers and Chris Patrick to account for one run. That brought on
John Tucker, who walked Ryan Haag to load the bases and then gave up a
two-run single to left field to McGehee. But Tucker and Cordero combined
to shut out the Bulldogs over the final four innings.
Prettyman, Burgos and Pedroza each had two hits for Fullerton.
Fullerton will host UCLA on Wednesday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Las
Vegas for a three-game series with UNLV next weekend.
