Fullerton Fights Off Cal Poly, Increases Lead in Big West

Cal State Fullerton got clutch late-inning pitching and held off Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 7-5, in a Big West Conference baseball game Saturday in San Luis Obispo.

The Titans (24-14, 13-5 in the Big West) moved 1 1/2 games ahead of second-place Long Beach State (25-16, 13-8).

Fullerton broke a 4-4 tie with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. Cal Poly (20-20, 11-10) scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, then winning pitcher Ronnie Corona (1-3) ended the threat by getting Kyle Albright to ground out with runners at first and second and two out.

Kirk Saarloos relieved Corona in the eighth and earned his third save by stopping two other Mustang scoring opportunities. He struck out Bryan Gant and Brian Oxley with runners on second and third to end the eighth and, after the potential tying runs reached in the ninth, got Jason Barringer to fly out to end the game.

David Bacani, Matt Belfanti and Jason Corapci each had three hits for Fullerton.

Bacani scored two runs and stole his 19th base and Belfanti drove in two runs and scored one.

Fullerton led, 4-0, before Cal Poly scored twice in the fourth and fifth innings.

In another Big West Conference game:

UC Santa Barbara 2, Long Beach State 0--UC Santa Barbara’s R.J. Smith hit a home run in the fifth and Dave Molidor drove home a run in the bottom of the eighth to lead the Gauchos, who swept the three-game series.

Phil Galer, making the first start of his Santa Barbara career, pitched five innings and gave up four hits.

In Big West softball:

Cal State Fullerton 1, Cal State Northridge 0--Brenda Iglesias hit a one-out sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to give the Titans a sweep of their three-game series at Fullerton.

Gina Oaks (12-3) pitched a three-hitter with seven strikeouts and five walks, and scored the game’s only run for the Titans (37-11, 12-4).

Fullerton extended its winning streak to seven games and moved into first place.

Jill Passafiume had two hits for Northridge (23-21-1, 13-5).

In the UC Irvine track and field invitational:

Irvine women take third--Victories by Kareen Nilsson in the 3,000 meters (9 minutes 54.16 seconds) and Annmarie Turpin in the high jump (5 feet 5 3/4 inches) helped the Anteaters, who finished with 102 points. Northern Arizona (150) won and UC San Diego (126) was second.

The Irvine men were fourth with 84 points.

Kentara McKinney won the 400 meters in 50.12 and Peter Kovacks cleared 15-7 to win the pole vault. UC Irvine’s 400 relay team won in 3:19.39.

Northern Arizona was first with 138 points, UC Santa Barbara (116) was second and Cal Poly Pomona (100) was third.