Titans Continue to Play Like Champs : Big West baseball: Fullerton beats Nevada, 6-4, to remain undefeated in tournament.

Cal State Fullerton dominated the Big West throughout the regular season, and the Titans are only a victory from doing the same thing in the conference tournament.

Strong hitting, solid defense and pitching that was tough in the clutch carried the Titans (48-9) to a 6-4 victory over Nevada Saturday at Blair Field. It left the Titans as the only unbeaten team in the double-elimination playoff.

Fullerton, ranked No. 1 in the nation, will face Long Beach State, which beat Nevada, 2-0, Saturday, at 1:05 p.m. today for the championship. A second game, if necessary, would be at 5:05.

Titan pitcher Ted Silva wobbled a bit in the third inning and reliever Mark Chavez faltered at one point, when Nevada rallied for two runs in the ninth, but both pitchers turned back challenges from the Wolf Pack. Silva (14-1) walked three consecutive batters, which led led to two runs in the third, but he gave up only two hits in six innings before Chavez replaced him in the seventh.

Chavez gave up two walks in the ninth, one with the bases loaded. A single by Jay Uhlman drove in another run, but Chavez retired the side with an infield out to preserve his sixth save and Fullerton’s ninth victory in a row. He yielded three hits, two of them in the ninth.

“I was pleased with the way they both finished those innings,” Coach Augie Garrido said. “And our defense didn’t let any doors open up.”

It was Fullerton’s fourth consecutive errorless game and sixth in the last seven.

Garrido gave catcher Brian Loyd credit for a strong performance offensively and defensively. Loyd was three for four for the second consecutive day. He drove in two runs Saturday after four runs batted in against Nevada Las Vegas.

“The level of confidence he’s brought to our pitching staff is really significant, and his offense has been a big plus for us,” Garrido said. “Nobody tries to run on him unless they’re exceptional, and he’s thrown them out about half the time.”

Designated hitter C.J. Ankrum also was three for four with one RBI.

The Titans had 10 hits off Nevada starter Bobby Post (7-3) and scored three runs in the first. Ankrum and Jeremy Giambi singled, and Ankrum scored on a base hit by Loyd that was ruled as trapped by center fielder Terrance Wilson. “That was the difference in the game,” Post said. “It cost us three runs.”

Joe Fraser doubled down the third-base line, driving in two runs.

In the third, Silva walked three batters with two outs, and Andy Dominique hit an 0-2 pitch for a two-run double. “I just sort of lost it in that inning,” Silva said. “I was out of rhythm, and it was out of character for me.”

The Titans got one run back in the third on Giambi’s triple and Loyd’s single, and Silva came back strong, retiring nine consecutive batters over the next three innings before he was replaced by Chavez at the start of the seventh.

Fullerton scored twice in the fourth on a Nevada error, a double by Tony Martinez and Ankrum’s triple.

Junior left-hander Tim Dixon, 11-0 with a 3.61 earned-run average, is scheduled to start today for Fullerton.

Big West Tournament

FRIDAY

Game 1--Cal State Fullerton 12, Nevada Las Vegas 1

Game 2--Nevada 13, Long Beach State 8

SATURDAY

Game 3--Long Beach State 5, Nevada Las Vegas 3

Game 4--Cal State Fullerton 6, Nevada 4

Game 5--Long Beach State 2, Nevada 0

TODAY

Game 6--Cal State Fullerton vs. Long Beach State, 1:05 p.m., Blair Field

Game 7--Cal State Fullerton vs. Long Beach State, if necessary, 5:05 p.m., Blair Field