Fullerton Hitters Have Field Day at UCLA’s Expense, 18-8

The top- and 10th-ranked college baseball teams met Tuesday night at Titan Field, and Cal State Fullerton’s steamrollering offense prevailed.

Fullerton and UCLA treated the game as a midweek warm-up for weekend conference play, saving their best pitchers, but the Titans still overwhelmed the Bruins, 18-8, for their 16th consecutive victory in front of 1,254.

The Titans (31-2) also won 15 in a row earlier in the season. Fullerton was 28-5 at the same point last year on the way to its third national championship. UCLA dropped to 19-12, losing to Fullerton for the second time.

This was the ninth time in the last 10 games and the 18th time this season the Titans have scored in double digits.

“Our offense focuses on helping each other and that was the case again,” Coach Augie Garrido said.

This time, it was designated hitter Steve Chatham leading Fullerton’s 16-hit attack on three UCLA pitchers. Chatham went four for four with a three-run homer and six runs batted in. Garrido pulled him out of the lineup after that, and his replacement, Scott Seal, homered in the eighth. Tony Martinez hit Fullerton’s third homer of the game.

“I was just out there having fun tonight,” Chatham said. “I was pumped up. I have a lot of friends on the UCLA team, and maybe that’s why. I was just enjoying the atmosphere and felt really focused.”

Fullerton used four pitchers, who gave up a total of nine hits. Todd Singelyn started, but gave up four runs on four hits in three innings. Matt Wise (3-0) got the victory, giving up four runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings. Dan White held UCLA hitless over 1 1/3 innings in his first appearance of the season, and Dustin Spencer gave up only two hits in the final two innings.

Associate head coach George Horton said he tried to give as many pitchers as possible some work.

“In a midweek game like this you just hope your staff of guys does a better job than theirs does,” Horton said. “Our first two guys looked rusty and tentative.”

UCLA took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second, sparked by Eric Byrnes’ two-run double, but Fullerton answered with four runs in the inning. Martinez’s two-run homer, his sixth of the season, and Chatham’s two-run single were the key hits.

The Bruins added another run off Singelyn in the third on Eric Valent’s RBI double for a 4-4 tie. Wise came in and and gave up a three-run homer to Jon Heinrichs in the fourth after two walks, along with another run in the fifth.

Fullerton scored one run in the fourth, and five more in the fifth, with Chatham getting his three-run homer, his second of the year.

The Titans return to Big West Conference play Thursday afternoon, opening a three-game series at New Mexico State (17-18, 1-5 in the conference). Fullerton and Long Beach State are tied for the Big West lead with 6-0 records. Nevada, Nevada Las Vegas and UC Santa Barbara are tied for third at 3-3.