Big West Coaches Favor Fullerton in Baseball Poll

The Cal State Fullerton baseball team was picked to finish first in the Big West Conference coaches’ poll, which was released Wednesday.

The Titans, who tied Fresno State for the conference title last season, received six of the nine first-place votes and totaled 78 points. Cal State Long Beach was second with two first-place votes and 72 points; Fresno State, which received the final first-place vote, was third.

UC Irvine, which finished last last season, was picked eighth. New Mexico State, in its first season of Big West baseball, was picked to finish last.

Chris Facione and Dave Dieter each went two for three, driving in two runs and scoring once, as UC Irvine defeated the Spanish national team, 10-4, in an exhibition game at UC Irvine.

Starter David Bladow pitched five innings for the victory, allowing four hits, while walking one and striking out eight.