Titans Not Perfect, but They Win

Cal State Fullerton Coach George Horton thought it was “a little ugly.”

But Fullerton’s 10-6 victory over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Friday night at Titan Field still stretched the Titans’ winning streak to 12. It was the 18th victory in the last 19 games for the 14th-ranked Titans (38-12).

Benny Flores picked up his 11th victory of the season without a loss, but it wasn’t one of his better outings. Flores gave up six runs, four earned, on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.

“We managed to hang in there on offense, even if we had some problems on defense,” Horton said, referring to two errors and a fly ball that dropped between three players early in the game.

Closer Adam Johnson turned in a strong effort in relief, picking up his seventh save of the season with his sixth consecutive scoreless outing.

The Mustangs had runners at first and second with one out when Johnson came on in the eighth to get two quick outs. Johnson struck out one in the eighth and the three batters he faced in the ninth.

Mike Zirelli (3-11) took the loss. Zirelli gave up 10 hits and was charged with all 10 runs. Outfielder Pete Fukuhara had four runs batted in.

The Titans picked up a run off Zirelli in the first, when Reed Johnson doubled down the left-field line and scored on Greg Jacobs’ sacrifice fly.

Flores gave up only his seventh homer of the season to Steve Wood, the leadoff batter in the second, and the Mustangs picked up another run in the third. Craig Ritter’s high fly ball dropped between three Titans in short left-center when they lost ball in the twilight, and Ritter scored on an infield out.

An error led to four Fullerton runs in the third. Zirelli appeared out of the the inning when he struck out Aaron Rowand, but the ball got away from catcher Scott Sheldon. His hurried throw to first was wild, enabling Johnson to score from third. A walk to Kevin Duck loaded the bases, and Fukuhara drilled a three-run double down the line in left.

The Mustangs closed the gap to 5-4 on a two-run double by Chris Hageman in the fourth, but the Titans came back for runs in the fourth and fifth for a three-run lead. Ryan Owens’ triple and a sacrifice fly produced one run, and Fukuhara drove in another.

An error by Owens that opened the sixth was costly to Flores. Flores got the next two batters, but Andrew Watt’s double gave Cal Poly an unearned run. Kirk Saarloos replaced Flores, but catcher David Trentine’s bad throw on a steal attempt enabled another run to score.

The Titans pulled away with three runs in the eighth.

At the NAIA Far West sectional baseball playoffs:

Southern California College 8, Concordia 7 (Concordia eliminated)--A pair of bloop doubles in the bottom of the eighth drove in the tying and winning runs for Southern California College (23-22). After blowing a five-run lead, the Vanguards trailed 7-5 going into the inning. With two outs, Joe Rivera hit a double down the right-field line that drove in Greg Schrieber and Kevin Moore to tie the score, 7-7.

Ryan Dambach then hit a shallow fly ball that diving left fielder Chad Smith couldn’t come up with and Rivera scored the go-ahead run.

Concordia finished the season 21-26.