COLLEGE ROUNDUP : UCLA Comes Back to Beat Titans in Opener

UCLA scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning and then held on for a 3-2 season-opening victory over Cal State Fullerton at Amerige Park Tuesday night.

Trailing, 2-1, the Bruins loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. Designated hitter Tim Kubinski then lined a single up the middle off reliever Chad Dembisky to drive in the tying and go-ahead runs.

Fullerton threatened in the ninth when pinch-hitter Tony Banks led off with a single, but the Titans couldn’t advance the runner. With two outs, Craig Fairbrother just missed a game-winning home run when his drive down the right field line went foul.

Fairbrother then grounded to second on a 3-2 pitch to end the game. Pete Janicki (1-0) earned the victory for the Bruins, and Dembisky (0-1) took the loss for the Titans.

Fullerton took a 1-0 lead in the second on Chris Powell’s RBI groundout, which scored Jason Moler. UCLA came back to tie in the sixth when David Roberts scored on Michael Moore’s double-play grounder.

The Titans regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Bret Hemphill scored after Moler’s single was misplayed into a triple by UCLA center fielder Moore.