Titans Battle Back to Split With New Mexico State

Cal State Fullerton’s baseball team lost consecutive games for the first time in nearly a year, but rebounded hours later to split a doubleheader with New Mexico State Saturday in Las Cruces.

The Titans (32-4, 7-2) lost the opener, 7-6, when New Mexico State’s Mark McNelly hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth off Fullerton’s Mark Chavez.

The Aggies, who Thursday defeated Fullerton, 6-5, became the first team to take consecutive games from the Titans since Wichita State did so on April 26, 1995, a span of 53 games.

The Titans took a 6-5 lead in the seventh inning on Skip Kiil’s home run. But with two outs in the ninth and a runner on first base, McNelly drove Chavez’s 1-2 pitch over the center-field fence.

In the second game, Kiil hit two more home runs to power Fullerton to a 9-4 victory. Kiil hit three home runs Saturday, giving him five this season.

Scott Hild (6-0) gave up eight hits, three walks and one run over 6 2/3 innings to earn the victory.

The Titans had 14 hits, including two each by Kiil, Jeremy Giambi, Tony Martinez, C.J. Ankrum and Mike Lamb. Mark Kotsay hit his 13th home run of the season in the ninth inning and Martinez added a double and two runs batted in.

Pitching the ninth inning, Kotsay gave up the first home run of his career, a three-run shot by Bob Miller.

In another Big West Conference baseball game:

Nevada Las Vegas 10, Long Beach State 6--The Rebels scored five runs in the sixth inning. Will Skett had two hits and three RBIs and Jason Hodges had two hits and two runs scored for Long Beach State (22-16, 6-3).

In Big West Conference softball:

Long Beach State 0-7, Nevada Las Vegas 2-3--The 49ers won the second game by scoring three runs in the first inning and Marie O’Beck (7-3) and Tammy Dietrich held off visiting UNLV.

In Golden State Athletic Conference men’s tennis:

Southern California College 4, Westmont 3--Ryan Lewis defeated Westmont’s Niklas Fjelstad at No. 3 singles, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6, to win the match for Southern California College (12-2, 4-1). The Vanguards have 12 consecutive victories.

At the Big West Track and Field Challenge Cup:

UC Irvine women win--The UC Irvine women’s team captured first place with 193 1/2 points in the Big West Challenge Cup at UC Santa Barbara. Junior Holiday Molway won the 800 meters with a time of 2:12.91 and the 1,500 (4:38.02).

Irvine’s Popi Edwards won the 100 meters (12.20) and Toby Dean won the 200 (24.97).

Long Beach State finished third (141) and Cal State Fullerton finished fourth (75 1/2).

In the men’s competition, Long Beach State was first with 180 points. UC Irvine (166 1/2) finished third.

UC Irvine’s Lance Jacot won the 110 hurdles in 16.01.

At the U.S. Intercollegiate golf tournament:

UC Irvine fourth--Jesse Lanham of UC Irvine is eighth, six strokes behind the leader, after the opening round of the U.S. Intercollegiate Golf Tournament at Pasatiempo Golf Course in Santa Cruz.

Lanham shot a one-over 72 to help the Anteaters into fourth place. UCI’s Kevin Yamauchi is one stroke behind Lanham at 73.

Stanford’s Tiger Woods also shot a 73.

The second round, suspended because of darkness Saturday, will be completed with the final round today.