Rifkin’s Two Home Runs Power Fullerton to 15-3 Win

First baseman Aaron Rifkin hit two home runs to pace an 18-hit attack and help Cal State Fullerton defeat New Mexico State, 15-3, in a Big West Conference baseball game Saturday in Las Cruces, N.M.

The Titans swept the three-game series.

Designated hitter Jake Epstein led off the third with a home run to left field, and Rifkin followed with a homer to left-center to help Fullerton take a 5-0 lead. Epstein and Rifkin also had doubles for the Titans (19-8, 9-0 in conference).

Rifkin had four hits and three runs batted in.

New Mexico State falls to 15-19, 0-9.

In another Big West Conference baseball game:

Sacramento State 6, Long Beach State 5--Aurelio Jackson scored on an error by Long Beach State second baseman A.J. LaBarbera in the bottom of the eighth to break a 5-5 tie and help Sacramento State (12-16, 7-4) upset 14th-ranked Long Beach.

Jeff Jones homered and had two hits for Long Beach State (19-10, 7-4).

In Golden State Athletic Conference baseball:

Concordia 11-1, Point Loma 6-0--Daniel Miranda hit a run-scoring double in the top of the fifth for Concordia (22-15, 11-11) in Game 2 of the doubleheader. Joseph Selmser pitched six innings for the Eagles, striking out three and giving up only three hits for the win.

Charles Chatman and Jason Radwan each went four for four with two RBIs in the first game.

In Big West Conference softball:

Long Beach State 10-7, Cal State Fullerton 0-5--Visiting Long Beach State got home runs from Christina Zepeda and Jessica Smith and scored three runs in the top of the eighth to beat Fullerton, ranked 12th in the nation, in the second game and sweep the doubleheader.

Kristi Fox (15-5) won both games for the 49ers (26-11, 5-0). Fullerton is 30-9, 6-2.

In the Chapman Sun West softball tournament:

Chapman 4, La Verne 3 (8 innings)--Chapman catcher Molly Beckett picked off Jamila Anderson at second base in the top of the eighth to end a scoring threat. Then in the bottom of the inning, Beckett singled home the winning run for Chapman (22-6).

In the Big West Challenge Cup men’s track and field meet:

Long Beach State 204, CS Fullerton 180, UC Santa Barbara 157, UC Irvine 101--Kevin Howard won the 100 meters (10.35 seconds) and the 200 (21.74) for Fullerton. Joe Thomas won the triple jump (46 feet 8 1/4 inches) and teammate Brandon Campbell cleared 6-10 to win the high jump.

In the Big West Challenge Cup women’s track and field meet:

Long Beach State 209, UC Irvine 156, CS Fullerton 138, UC Santa Barbara 138--Ann Marie Turpin won the 400 meters in 56.55 seconds and won the high jump, clearing 5-6 for Irvine. Teammate Jessica Stafford took second in the 400 in 58.44.