Titans Sputter in Loss to Trojans

USC, stung by three consecutive losses last weekend to second-ranked Stanford in Pac-10 play, came back strong against Cal State Fullerton Tuesday night.

The Trojans scored four runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by Morgan Ensberg’s three-run homer, and held on for an 8-5 victory in front of 1,315 at Titan Field.

It was the second victory for 12th-ranked USC (30-13) in two games this season over the Titans, who fell to 22-16-1.

“This was an important game for us coming off last weekend,” USC Coach Mike Gillespie said. “We really needed to play well, and that home run turned out to be huge for us.”

USC’s big inning gave the Trojans a five-run lead, but the Titans came back for two runs in their half of the eighth on a triple by C.J. Ankrum and consecutive hits by Steve Chatham, Mike Lamb and Aaron Rowand. Fullerton’s bid for a big inning went down the drain when Scott Seal hit into a double play and pinch hitter Jojo Hernandez grounded out.

“What we haven’t shown is the ability to compete from the first pitch,” Titan Coach George Horton said. “We gave them four early runs, and once again it was sloppiness. This group is a tough one to get going.”

The Trojans got to Titan starting pitcher John Alkire for a run in each of the first four innings. Alkire walked six in 4 2/3 innings and had two costly wild pitches.

Alkire walked leadoff batter Wes Rachels, and Rachels scored on Jason Brown’s single. In the second, Eric Munson’s fly ball dropped between three Titan players for a base hit to lead off the inning, and Alkire loaded the bases with none out on a walk and a hit batsman. A run scored when Jeremy Freitas bounced into a double play, but Alkire (0-3) escaped without further damage.

Fullerton tied it with a two-run homer by Rowand, following Lamb’s leadoff single, in the bottom of the second. It was Rowand’s fifth of the season.

Alkire’s wildness hurt the Titans again in the third and the fourth, and USC came back to take a 4-2 lead. A walk opened the door in the third with Greg Walbridge scoring on Brown’s double. In the fourth, Alkire walked Brad Ticehurst to open the inning, and Ticehurst advanced on one wild pitch and scored on another.

The Titans scored a run in the fifth when Jerome Alviso singled and scored on Pete Fukuhara’s hit, but the Titans left two runners on base when relief pitcher Mike Weibling, who replaced starter Scott Henderson, retired Chatham and Lamb.

The Titans had a runner at second with one out in the seventh when Alviso delivered his third consecutive hit and advanced on a sacrifice bunt, but Weibling picked off Alviso and struck out Fukuhara to end the inning.

Weibling picked up his fourth victory without a loss.