Trojans Lose Their Cool, Game to Titans

Cal State Fullerton broke open a close game against USC with a four-run sixth inning Wednesday night.

The key hit was a two-run single by David Bacani, and it turned out to be about as much as USC Coach Mike Gillespie could stand.

Gillespie and pitching coach John Savage were ejected after an argument with the plate umpire after Bacani’s hit, and the Titans went on to a 7-5 victory in front of 1,742 at Titan Field.

“We thought we had [Bacani] struck out,” Gillespie said. “I challenged the umpire on balls and strikes and that’s an automatic ejection.”

The loss left the defending national champion Trojans with a 4-9 record, their worst start since 1982. Fullerton improved to 9-3 with its eighth consecutive victory. It was Fullerton’s second win of the season over USC.

“Bacani’s hit put gas on the fire,” Titan Coach George Horton said. “But if they had come in here 12-0, I’m not so sure it would have been such a big thing.”

Ryan Owens had led off the inning with a triple and scored on Sean Bischofberger’s sacrifice fly. USC starter Steve Smyth hit Rod Perry and walked Chad Olszanski, and their double steal set up the single by Bacani off relief pitcher Steve Immel.

“That pitch they were complaining about was way outside,” Bacani said. “They got really mad after I got the hit. With two strikes, I was just trying to put the ball in play.”

Then the argument started when Savage went to the mound to talk with his pitcher. After it ended, Reed Johnson’s base hit brought in Bacani with the fourth Titan run of the inning.

USC scored one in the eighth and three in the ninth, but Fullerton was able to hang on.

The Titans got another strong pitching effort from Jon Smith (2-0), who gave up seven hits and one run in six innings. Smyth (2-3) took the loss.

The Titans took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, the 12th consecutive game in which Fullerton has scored in the first.

Bacani doubled inside third base to lead off the inning, and Johnson beat out a ground ball to third for an infield hit. Both advanced on Spencer Oborn’s deep fly to right.

Chris Beck drilled a shot between short and second to drive in the first run. Owens walked to load the bases. The Trojans could have been out of the inning without further damage, but second baseman Dominic Correa threw wild to first on a potential double-play ball. Two runs scored.

Smith struck out four of the first seven batters and held USC scoreless through three innings, but Jason Lane tagged him for a two-out homer in the fourth.

Smith gave up three hits that loaded the bases with two out in the fifth, but he escaped without a run. Bacani, the Titan second baseman, went behind the bag for Greg Hanoian’s ground ball up the middle and got the force at second, ending the threat.

The Trojans scored one run off reliever Ruben Jurado and three off closer Kirk Saarloos.