COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Powell’s Single in Ninth Gets Titans Past Fresno

Chris Powell’s bases-loaded single in the ninth broke a 1-1 tie and gave Cal State Fullerton a 2-1 victory over Fresno State in a Big West Conference game Friday at Amerige Park in Fullerton.

The hit made a winner out of starter James Popoff (6-1). Popoff, a senior right-hander, pitched a five-hitter and struck out seven.

Fresno State’s Philip Romero opened the game with a double and scored on a one-out double by Brant Brown. Popoff retired the next 15 batters he faced.

Fullerton (24-9, 7-3 in conference) scored an unearned run in the fifth to tie it, 1-1.

In the Titan ninth, Tony Banks opened with a single. Jason Moler tried to sacrifice but popped out instead. Bret Hemphill walked and Jim Betzsold had an infield single to load the bases. Powell then drove the ball up the alley in right-center for the game-winning hit.

Senior right-hander Jim Patterson (9-1) went the distance for Fresno State (23-12, 5-2). The teams play today and Sunday at 1 p.m.

In another Big West Conference baseball game:

UC Irvine 11, Pacific 3--David Bladow (7-2) struck out 14 to pick up his first victory after two consecutive losses and Corey Parker and Ray Walker homered for the host Anteaters (15-12, 5-5).

Parker went three for four, drove in three runs and scored twice. Dave Dieter also drove in three runs.

In nonconference women’s tennis:

Pepperdine 7, UC Irvine 2--Noelle Porter, a San Clemente High graduate, defeated Ali Yoshimoto, 6-3, 6-1, at No. 1 singles, as the No. 12 Waves (15-5) ended the Anteaters’ eight-match winning streak.

Irvine (12-5) got both of its points on defaults in doubles matches.