College Baseball : Fullerton’s 15-8 Loss Gives Fresno Rare Sweep

When Keith Kaub lined into a bases-loaded double play in the first inning, it was the first indication of the kind of day the Cal State Fullerton baseball team was in for.

But it only got worse as Fresno State defeated the Titans, 15-8, in a Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. baseball game in front of 1,000 Sunday at Titan Field.

The only drama left after Fresno scored five runs in the sixth to take a 6-1 lead, was whether or not Brent Mayne would get a hit to extend his hitting streak.

But Mayne doubled down the right-field line on a 2-1 pitch in the ninth inning to extend his PCAA- and school-record hitting steak to 31 games.

Mayne, a sophomore catcher, leads Fullerton with a .420 average (81 for 189).

But that was just one of two impressive streaks on the line Sunday. Fresno’s winning streak is 32 games. Fresno (49-6 overall and 18-0 in the PCAA), ranked second in the Baseball America poll behind Oklahoma State, clinched the conference title Saturday night with a 5-3 victory over Fullerton.

Fresno won the opening game Friday, 3-2, and with the victory Sunday, becomes the first team to sweep Fullerton at home since Las Vegas did it in 1986.

It was also the first time this season Fullerton (35-14, 12-6) has three straight losses. Fullerton is ranked fifth in the Baseball America poll.

Fullerton is at San Jose State next weekend to conclude the PCAA season and Fresno is at Las Vegas.

“I would rather we play this way now than up at San Jose next weekend or in a regional playoff game,” said Larry Cochell, Fullerton coach.

“I never dreamed of being swept because we have such a fine team, but they played very well this weekend, much better than we did.”

Fresno pounded five Fullerton pitchers for 22 hits Sunday. Fresno had 14 hits and scored 14 runs between the fifth and eighth innings.

Fullerton did have a chance in the first inning to get a jump on Fresno, when Rex Peters and Mayne were hit by pitches and Mike Ross walked to load the bases with one out.

Then up stepped Kaub, who leads Fullerton with 15 home runs and is second in RBIs with 49.

Things looked good as Fresno starter Rich Crane fell behind Kaub, 3-1. Kaub lined the ball toward left field, but Fresno shortstop Eddie Zosky reached far to the right to grab it and then threw to second to get Mayne.

“There we had a chance,” Cochell said. “But when you’re not playing well you don’t seem to be able to put anyone away.”

Jim Osborn hit the first of two solo home runs to give Fullerton a 1-0 lead in the second off Crane (15-1), who pitched 8 innings for the victory.

Fresno’s Steve Hosey homered off starter and loser Danny DeVille in the fourth to tie it, 1-1.

DeVille gave up singles to the first three Fresno hitters he faced in the sixth and was removed in favor of Paul Johnson but Fresno went on to score three runs and led, 9-1, at the end of the sixth.

Johnson, Huck Flener and Erik Silvey combined to give up six consecutive hits as Fresno scored four more runs in the seventh to take a 13-3 lead.

All the Fresno starters had at least one hit and eight had two hits. Lance Shebelut had five hits including three doubles and five RBIs. He has a team-leading 76 RBIs.

Osborn was the only Fullerton player with two hits. He has five home runs this season.

In other PCAA play:

Nevada Las Vegas 7-16, UC Irvine 4-10--Donavan Osborn (8-4) threw a five-hitter for host Nevada Las Vegas in the first game. Jim Barbeau had a home run for the Rebels (36-15, 13-5). In the second game, Las Vegas built a 12-2 lead and were never threatened. Dave Sturdivant had a two-run homer for the Rebels. Mike Goodcase and Don Nicholson each drove in two runs for Irvine (27-28-1, 6-12).