Gauchos Walk Over Fullerton

UC Santa Barbara scored only two runs in losing the first two games of a Big West Conference baseball series against Cal State Fullerton, but that drought ended Sunday.

The Gauchos pushed across seven runs in the first three innings and stopped the Titans’ five-game winning streak with an 11-7 victory at Fullerton.

The loss left the Titans (27-15, 15-6) with a one-game lead over second-place Nevada, which swept its series against New Mexico State and plays a key three-game series at Fullerton beginning Friday.

Long Beach State is two games behind with three weeks left in the regular season.

“We made it tougher on ourselves, but I’d still rather be in our shoes than anyone else’s,” Fullerton Coach George Horton said.

Santa Barbara (22-21, 12-9), which swept Long Beach last weekend, scored five runs off starter George Carralejo (1-1) in the second inning, and never trailed. Carralejo gave up four walks in 1 1/3 innings.

“They were a frustrated team the last two nights, but we made it easy for them with seven walks in the first four innings,” Horton said. “If you play with fire, you’re going to get burned sometimes. They capitalized on the walks.”

Carralejo’s shaky outing left the Titans’ No. 3 starting spot in the weekend rotation more uncertain. Matt Sorensen (5-0), a starter most of the season, is sidelined with tightness in the elbow of his pitching arm. He is scheduled to have his arm examined this week.

Pitching coach Dave Serrano said Ronnie Corona, a starter early in the season, will get new consideration for the role after holding the Gauchos scoreless on four hits in a 3 1/3-inning stint Sunday.

“We’re open to someone taking that No. 3 spot,” Horton said. “It’s out there if someone wants it.”

Carralejo, a junior left-hander, was disappointed he didn’t do more with his opportunity. “Walks have been a problem for me in the past, but I thought I had done better this season,” Carralejo said. “I took a step back in this game.”

After retiring the side in order in the first, Carralejo gave up a leadoff homer to Dave Molidor in the second. Things got worse after a walk and a one-out error by third baseman Shawn Norris.

Carralejo walked two consecutive batters, forcing in a run, and Jeff Carter drilled a two-run single, the first of his four hits in the game. Carralejo gave up another walk and was replaced by Mike Nunez.

Nunez gave up a leadoff homer to Jeff Bannon in the third and UCSB added another run on Carter’s infield hit for a 7-0 lead.

The Titans came back for three runs in the third with Jason Corapci’s RBI double and Chris Beck’s homer the big hits, but the Gauchos kept rolling with four more runs in the fourth. Fullerton scored two in the fourth on RBI doubles by David Bacani and Matt Belfanti, but missed a chance for a big inning when Beck hit into a bases-loaded double play. The Gauchos were in control the rest of the way.

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Big West Baseball Standings

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Conference Overall Team W L Pct. W L Pct. CS Fullerton 15 6 .714 27 15 .643 Nevada 14 7 .667 30 15 .667 Long Beach State 13 8 .619 26 19 .578 UCSB 12 9 .571 22 21 .512 Sacramento St. 12 9 .571 19 26 .422 Cal Poly SLO 11 10 .524 25 21 .544 Pacific 5 16 .238 22 23 .489 New Mexico State 2 19 .095 17 29 .370

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