COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Fullerton Rolls Past Long Beach

Behind the pitching of Matt Wagner, Cal State Fullerton overwhelmed Long Beach State, 9-1, in a Big West Conference baseball game Friday night at Long Beach State.

Wagner (8-0), who pitched a complete game, struck out nine and gave up only three hits.

The Titan runs came early, with Fullerton scoring six in the first two innings.

Fullerton’s Dante Powell, who went three for five with three runs scored and three runs batted in, scored the game’s first run after leading off the game with a walk. He stole second and advanced to third on a groundout before scoring on a Long Beach error.

Jeff Ferguson, who was hit by a pitch in the first inning, later scored on Bret Hemphill’s RBI groundout to give the Titans a 2-0 lead.

The Titans increased the lead to 6-0 in the second, with Powell doubling in two runs and Ferguson adding an RBI single. Hemphill’s sacrifice fly later scored Powell to put Fullerton in control.

Wagner gave up a home run in the bottom of the second, but allowed only two hits the rest of the way while retiring 16 of 18 49ers in one stretch.

Fullerton catcher Adam Millan was four for four with an RBI and two runs scored and Ferguson finished three for four with an RBI and two runs scored. The first six hitters in the Fullerton order accounted for all 12 Titan hits.

Former Rancho Santiago standout Mike Fontana (7-1) took the loss for Long Beach, going 4 2/3 innings and allowing eight runs, five earned.

Fullerton, ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball, improved to 27-7, 6-1 in conference. Long Beach dropped to 23-8, 4-3.

In nonconference baseball:

UC San Diego 7, Chapman 4--Donny Disbro had two RBI doubles for the Panthers. Ryan Flanagan threw a five-hitter for UCSD (18-3).