Trojans Win See-Saw Battle Against Cal State Fullerton

USC pushed across a run in the top of the eighth on a two-out infield hit by Seth Davidson that carried the Trojans to a 7-6 victory over Cal State Fullerton in a matchup of two of college baseball’s top 10 teams Tuesday night at Titan Field.

Fullerton closer Kirk Saarloos had hit Aaron Fausett and walked Brian Barre with two outs after giving up a one-out single to Justin Gemoll. Titan first baseman Aaron Rifkin knocked down Davidson’s ground ball diving to his right, but had no play at first base and Gemoll scored.

“We made a mistake by diving for the ball, but it’s hard to fault Aaron because he made an aggressive play, but it backfired,” Titan Coach George Horton said.

The victory ended Fullerton’s winning streak over the Trojans at three games and dropped the fifth-ranked Titans to 2-5. Ninth-ranked USC is 6-3.

Rik Currier (3-1) picked up the victory in relief, with Mark Prior getting his first save.

Titan starter Ronnie Corona struggled for the third consecutive game, giving up three runs on two hits and four walks in 2 1/3 innings. Corona, who had given up 13 hits and 12 runs in 8 2/3 innings in his first two starts against Stanford and Baylor, gave up a leadoff homer to Barre on his third pitch, but got out of the inning without further damage.

The Titans got to USC starter Pete Montrenes for five runs in the second. Rifkin walked to open the inning and scored on Brett Kay’s triple that rolled to the wall in right-center. Kay came home on Craig Patterson’s pop fly single to short right with one out.

Montrenes gave up a walk and a single to David Bacani, and Shawn Norris drove in two runs with a two-out single to right center. Reliever Chad Clark came in to strike out Chris Beck for the final out of the inning.

Corona gave up walks to two of the first three batters in the third, and was replaced by George Carralejo. Consecutive doubles by pinch-hitter Josh Persell and Justin Gemoll gave USC three runs.

Barre’s second homer of the game off Carralejo in the fourth gave the Trojans a 5-5 tie, but the Titans went back on top with a run in their half of the inning. A double by Bacani and two walks loaded the bases, and the run came across on Beck’s infield out. Clark gave up two two-out walks in the fifth, and the Trojans brought in Tim Petke, who got Bacani on a fly ball.

The Titans also made a pitching change in the sixth, and Mike Nunez was nailed for a home run by Gemoll on his second pitch, tying the score at 6-6.

Fullerton threatened in the seventh when Rifkin walked and Kay singled with none out, and both runners advanced on Steve Woodward’s sacrifice bunt. The Trojans went to Currier, and he got pinch hitter Matt Belfanti to pop up. Mike Martinez then grounded out.