Cal State Fullerton Falls Into Tie for First With Loss

San Jose State scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat visiting Cal State Fullerton, 3-2, and drop the Titans into a first-place tie in the Big West Conference baseball standings.

The Titans (38-6, 11-4) are tied with Long Beach State, which beat Nevada, 7-2, on Sunday. Fullerton visits Long Beach for the first of a three-game series at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Blair Field.

Tony Martinez’s single drove in Jeremy Giambi in the top of the ninth to tie it, 2-2, for Fullerton. Martinez also had an RBI single in the fourth.

San Jose (25-22, 6-9) came back to win it on pinch-hitter Chris Nardini’s sacrifice fly, which drove in Eric Stevens, formerly of Cypress College.

Mark Chavez (2-2) took the loss after starter Kirk Irvine gave up five hits and two runs, one earned, in eight innings. Irvine also had eight strikeouts.

The Spartans’ Jason Davis (5-2) pitched an eight-hitter with six strikeouts and no walks for the victory.

In another conference game:

Long Beach State 7, Nevada 2--Jeff Tagliaferri had a home run and two RBIs and Jason Knupfer had three hits and two RBIs for visiting Long Beach State (28-17, 11-4). Steve Hueston (3-3) gave up three hits and two runs, one earned, in 7 2/3 innings for the victory. Ryan Brannan gave up two hits but no runs in the final 1 1/3 innings for his 10th save.

Will Skett had two doubles and single and scored two runs for Long Beach.

Nevada is 23-15, 9-6.

In Big West Conference softball:

San Jose State 4-0, Cal State Fullerton 3-10--Senetha Thomas hit a three-run homer with one-out in the sixth inning of the second game to give the host Titans a mercy-rule victory. San Jose State is 16-29, 6-20.

Thomas’ home run, her 11th, was the fourth of the game for Fullerton. Brandi Isgar, Julie Williams and Chris Zboril also homered for Fullerton (37-20, 15-9).