COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Bullpen Helps Titans Sweep UNLV Series

Cal State Fullerton’s Sunday troubles took the day off as the Titans defeated Nevada Las Vegas, 8-4, in a Big West Conference baseball game at Amerige Park in Fullerton.

The Titans won the first two games of the three-game series, but they did that during each of the past three weekends.

But this time, they completed their first conference sweep with solid pitching and clutch hitting.

Freshman Derek Fahs (2-1) gave up two hits and two runs in the first inning, but didn’t allow another hit until there were two outs in the seventh. He left after an error and a double in the eighth, but the Titans led, 7-2.

Fahs had started each of the Sunday losses and left leading in two of the three games, but had only a loss and two no-decisions to show for his efforts.

“I’ve been pitching well,” Fahs said. “It just seems like a jinx comes over me.”

This time the bullpen didn’t slip. Marcus Nelson came in with runners on second and third and got a fly out and a run-scoring groundout. He allowed an RBI double to pinch-hitter Steve White and was replaced by Chad Dembisky, who got the four batters he faced for his first save.

Fullerton rallied for three runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead and added four--all with two outs--in the sixth.

Frank Herman started the sixth with a double but remained at second two outs later. Dante Powell then had an RBI single to put Fullerton ahead, 4-2.

Jeremy Carr had an RBI double, Steve Sisco had a run-scoring single and Phil Nevin, who had three RBIs in the game, capped the inning with a double that scored Sisco and put the Titans ahead, 7-2.

Fullerton (28-11) is tied for second in the Big West with San Jose State at 11-4. Long Beach, which won two of three against San Jose State during the weekend, leads by a game.

Fullerton has a bye this weekend but plays a three-game series at Long Beach, April 24-26. Fullerton plays host to Irvine May 1-3, and finishes the conference schedule at San Jose, May 8-10.

“It’s always exciting down the stretch,” Fullerton Coach Augie Garrido said.

In nonconference baseball:

Grand Canyon 15, Chapman 11--Chris Briones had five hits and five RBIs, including a grand slam for visiting Chapman.

UC Irvine 2-16, Cal State Sacramento 7-10--Host Irvine (17-17) had 32 hits in 69 at-bats to earn the split. Irvine’s Joe Furukawa had four hits and five RBIs and Dave Dieter had five hits and two RBIs in the two games.