COLLEGE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : UCI Beats Titans With Home Run in 13th

Between them they had 33 hits, 15 runs and played more than 4 1/2 hours before UC Irvine defeated Cal State Fullerton Thursday night at Anteater Field.

Bryant Winslow’s leadoff home run over the left-field fence in the bottom of the 13th inning gave Irvine an 8-7 victory in the Big West Conference opener for both teams.

Irvine is 16-15, 1-0. Fullerton is 15-13, 0-1.

Joe Sewell (4-4) got the victory for the Anteaters. Tony Fetchel (0-3) who faced only Winslow, lost it for Fullerton.

The Titans got a runner as far as second base three times--in the 10th, 12th and 13th innings--but couldn’t score.

Irvine went in order in the 10th, had a runner on in the 11th, but Mike Goodcase, who’d been hit by a pitch, was stranded when Al Rodriguez flied out. The Anteaters had runners on first and second in the 12th, but Neil Weingarten popped up to end the threat.

Fullerton led, 2-0 and 4-1, but neither lead held up and the teams went to the 10th inning tied, 7-7.

Irvine mounted two rallies before finally pulling even and going ahead in the eighth.

A two-out single to right by left fielder Matt Filson scored Ray Walker and Joe Furukawa, giving Irvine its first lead, 6-5.

But it didn’t last long. With one out in the top of the ninth, Fullerton got to reliever Gabe Sollecito, who walked Frank Charles, then gave up doubles to Jason Moler and Craig Fairbrother and the Titans led, 7-6.

Moler ended the night with two singles and a double. Fairbrother doubled twice.

Sollecito got out of further trouble by striking out Chris Powell. Mike Berry, running for Fairbrother, was caught trying to steal third to end the inning.

Irvine rallied once more in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Goodcase singled. Al Rodriguez then doubled down the right-field line, scoring Goodcase.

In California Collegiate Athletic Assn. baseball:

Cal Poly Pomona 4, Chapman 2--Ramiro Garcia hit a three-run home run in the third inning and a bases-empty homer in the seventh for host Cal Poly Pomona (13-15, 5-3 in league). Mack Marvin drove in two runs with a double in the seventh for Chapman (8-19, 4-6).

In nonconference baseball:

Southern California College 4, Hawaii Hilo 3--Donny Harrell and Keith Laszlo hit consecutive doubles to lead off the sixth inning and break a 3-3 tie in a seven-inning game at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.

Southern California College 5, Baker (Kan.) 1--Mike Castle (3-1) allowed five hits and an unearned run in 6 1/3 innings. Ryan Meredith earned his fourth save for the Vanguards (18-12).

Christ College Irvine 11, Occidental 3--Mike Adams had two hits, two runs and two RBIs for host Christ College Irvine (14-9), which had 14 hits.