Titans Blown Out by 49ers’ Big Inning

Long Beach State scored nine runs in the sixth inning Saturday night against Cal State Fullerton.

After that, the 49ers were rolling toward today’s championship round in the Big West tournament against Nevada Las Vegas. All Fullerton had to show for its long day in Titan Field was another blow to its sagging baseball image.

When it ended, the 49ers (34-23) had stunned Fullerton, 13-9, scoring more runs against the Titans than any team has all season.

And Fullerton (42-12), which had only two losses after the first two months of the season, lost its second game in the postseason playoffs within a matter of hours.

UNLV (42-15) emerged as the only unbeaten team after a 9-8 victory over Fullerton earlier Saturday. Long Beach and the Rebels meet at 1:05 p.m. today. If Long Beach wins that game, the teams will return for a second game at 5:05 p.m.

Long Beach’s sixth inning was its biggest of the season. First baseman Jeff Tagliaferri capped it with a grand slam, his ninth home run of the season. He had five runs batted in in the inning. Tagliaferri also doubled earlier, driving in the first run. The 49ers, the weakest-hitting team in the conference during the regular season, had nine hits in the inning and 13 for the game. Fullerton had 11.

Earlier, UNLV avenged a three-game sweep by the Titans during the regular season and ended a 16-game losing streak to Fullerton that began in 1991. It was first time UNLV had defeated the Titans in Fullerton since 1988.

“We scored a lot of runs today, but we gave up more,” said Titan Coach Augie Garrido.

The Titans played three hours 15 minutes against UNLV in temperatures that soared into the 90s, then had to regroup in an hour for their second game in two days against the 49ers. Fullerton won Friday, 3-1.

Rocky Biddle was the starting pitcher for Long Beach and Scott Hild started for Fullerton. Biddle (5-5) got the victory, going 7 2/3 innings and giving up seven runs on eight hits. Hild (8-3) gave up eight runs on nine hits. Long Beach took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run homer by Jason Hodges, but the Titans came back for three runs in their half of the inning and added two more in the second.

In the first, Skip Kiil was hit and eventually scored on a wild pitch after moving to third on C.J. Ankrum’s single. Mark Kotsay singled, and Ankrum came in on Jeremy Giambi’s sacrifice fly. Kotsay scored the third run of the inning when Scott Seal grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Titan leadoff batter Tony Martinez was hit to start the second, and Martinez scored on Kiil’s triple off the fence in right-center. Kiil came home when Ankrum grounded out.

Fullerton made it 6-2 in fourth when Kiil singled, advanced on Ankrum’s hit and scored on Giambi’s sacrifice fly. But that four-run lead was wiped away in the sixth. Fullerton scored once in the eighth and twice in the ninth, but the damage had already been done.

In the Fullerton-UNLV game earlier, the Rebels overcame a 5-3 Fullerton lead with four runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth on a two-run homer by Ted Wilkes, who played at Laguna Hills High and Saddleback College. Kevin Eberwein had three hits for the Rebels, including his 10th homer.

Fullerton scored three runs in the top of the ninth, but the rally fell short. One run scored when the Rebels walked Kotsay with the bases loaded and two more came home on Giambi’s third hit of the game. The game ended when Loyd grounded out. Mike Greenlee (3-2) took after relieving Kirk Irvine in the fourth. Irvine gave up three runs in 3 1/3 innings. Reliever Fred Koehne (6-1) was the winner.

Starter Steve Hueston (6-3) gave up six hits and three walks while striking out five for the conference-champion 49ers. Closer Ryan Brannan pitched the ninth and gave up a solo homer to Brooks Morris, but earned his nation-leading 13th save.

Seth Bean (9-3) pitched a complete game for the Gauchos (32-18).

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Big West Baseball

* What: Big West baseball tournament (double-elimination format)

* Where: Titan Field, Cal State Fullerton

* Tickets: All-tournament pass, $20 adults; $12 senior citizens, students and children. Individual sessions, $7 adults; $4 senior citizens, students and children.

* Parking: Free at university lots A and G.

SCHEDULE

* Today: Game 6, Long Beach State vs. Nevada Las Vegas, 1:05 p.m.; Game 7 (if necessary), 5:05 p.m.