COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Matos Slugs Fullerton Past UNLV

Robert Matos had a double and drove in three runs as Cal State Fullerton beat host Nevada Las Vegas, 9-4, Friday in a Big West Conference baseball game.

The victory keeps the Titans (34-6, 9-2) a game ahead of Long Beach State.

Todd Dixon (8-0) had 10 strikeouts but walked five in 7 2/3 innings.

Mark Kotsay hit his 11th home run, drove in two runs and scored three runs for Fullerton.

Brian Loyd had two hits and drove in two runs for the Titans.

Ryan Hawkins had four hits, including his eighth home run, and drove in three for Nevada Las Vegas (25-14, 6-5).

Earlier Friday, Fullerton rallied for two runs in the ninth to win, 8-7, a game that was called Thursday in the sixth inning because of high winds.

Brian Loyd walked and D.C. Olsen’s doubled with one out in the ninth to give Fullerton runners at second and third. Fullerton tied it, 7-7, on Robert Matos’ RBI ground out. Tony Martinez followed with a single to score pinch-runner Skip Kiil with the winning run.

Ted Silva worked a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.

In another Big West Conference game:

Long Beach State 9, San Jose State 5--Steve Hueston, a junior right-hander pitched 6 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory for host Long Beach State (21-16-1, 8-3).

He entered with the 49ers trailing, 5-1, but got out of the third. He allowed four hits and struck out seven to improve to 2-0.

Jason Hodges, a junior designated hitter from Cypress College, had a double and a single and advanced hitting streak to 11 games. He also drove in two runs.

Tim Falsken had three singles and drove in a run for Long Beach, which has won the first two games of the series. The final game is at 1:05 p.m. today at Blair Field.

In nonconference baseball:

Chapman 8, Menlo 0--Ralph Lopez pitched a five-hitter for visiting Chapman (10-18). Jeremy Preis hit a three-run homer and Matt McCready added a two-run homer for Chapman.

In Big West Conference softball:

Cal State Fullerton 3-3, UC Santa Barbara 2-0 (First game 8 innings)--Rose Garces led off the eighth with her fifth home run to break a 2-2 tie for third-ranked Cal State Fullerton (28-11, 11-4).