COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Titan Outfield Error Proves Costly

A fielding mistake helped Cal State Northridge rally for three runs in the seventh inning and defeat Cal State Fullerton, 4-3, in a nonconference baseball game Friday at Amerige Park in Fullerton.

Titan starter James Popoff allowed nine hits and a run in seven innings and Fullerton led, 3-1.

Chris Robinson replaced Popoff to start the eighth and gave up singles to two of the first three hitters.

Mike Solar followed with a sharp single to left that should have loaded the bases, but scored two runs when left fielder David Ayala let the ball roll through his legs.

Dan Naulty replaced Robinson (1-1) with the score tied, 3-3, and Solar on second. Scott Richardson, Naulty’s first batter, lined a single to center to score Solar with the go-ahead run.

Fullerton (3-7) loaded the bases with one out in the eighth but Northridge pitcher Scott Sharts (3-0) struck out Frank Charles and got Trevor Rush to fly out to end the inning.

Phil Nevin had a two-out single in the ninth to give the Titans two baserunners, but Matt Hattabaugh bounced out to third to end the game.

Fullerton took a 3-0 lead in the sixth on a throwing error and two-run double by Nevin. Frank Herman, Fullerton’s leadoff hitter, reached base five times, with two singles and three walks.

They play today at Fullerton College at 1 p.m. and the series ends Sunday at Northridge.

In another nonconference baseball game:

Southern California College 3, UC Riverside 0--David Black pitched a three-hitter for host Southern California College (3-3). The Vanguards took the lead in the second when Doug Rystrom doubled to score pinch-runner John Mounce. Rystrom later scored on an error. In the fifth, Rystrom, who had four hits, had another run-scoring double.

In California Collegiate Athletic Assn. men’s basketball:

Cal Poly Pomona 77, Chapman 63--Despite 31 points from Rog Middleton, the Panthers (12-13, 2-8 in conference) lost their fourth consecutive game and seventh in the past nine.

Chapman tied the score, 11-11, with 13:38 left in the first half but Pomona’s Andre Harrell made a three-pointer and the Broncos never trailed again. Pomona (13-11, 5-4), which led by as many as 17 points in the second half, out-rebounded the Panthers, 44-28.

In Big West Conference women’s tennis:

Cal State Fullerton 5, Fresno State 4--No. 1 singles player Tracy Spellman beat Karen Forguher, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, and also teamed with Caroline Sporer in No. 2 doubles to defeat Cecilia Bourdais and Patricia Marosoua, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, to lead Cal State Fullerton (1-2, 1-0). The teams were tied at four sets until the last set of that doubles match. Kelly Moore, playing No. 2 singles for Cal State Fullerton, defeated Dalerie Ftukovfky, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), and teamed with Roseann Alba in No. 1 doubles to beat Karen Forguher and Ftukovfky, 6-3, 6-3. Fresno State is 0-3, 0-1.

In nonconference women’s tennis:

Hawaii 5, UC Irvine 4--Karen Felicilda and Mina Hall of Hawaii defeated Jennifer Mazgedian and Maggie Powers, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4, at No. 2 doubles to break a 4-4 tie in the match at Irvine.

Biljana Korac won, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, and Ali Yoshimoto won, 6-1, 6-2, in singles for Irvine (3-4). Hawaii is 6-0.

In the Arizona softball tournament:

Cal State Fullerton 3, Cal State Long Beach 0--Kim Powers scored for Fullerton.

Cal State Fullerton 7, Oregon 2--Charlotte Wiley tripled twice and scored a run and Tiffany Boyd, a transfer from UCLA, struck out three for her third victory.