Titans Unable to Hold Lead, Fall to Trojans

In a 13-inning baseball game, it doesn’t make sense to point at a single pitch as a game-breaker. But one pitch clearly stood out when USC defeated Cal State Fullerton, 6-5, Tuesday on a two-out 13th-inning single by pinch-hitter Abel Montanez at USC.

It wasn’t the Nick Lovato curveball that Montanez lined off the end of his bat into center field to drive in Anthony Lunetta with the game-winner, though that ranks second on the list.

The most memorable pitch was two pitches earlier--a 1-2 fastball that appeared to catch the inside corner to end the inning with Lunetta at third. The umpire called it a ball and Montanez cashed in his second chance.

“It was a tough call,” Fullerton Coach George Horton said. “But it’s a long haul for the umpire and he got most of them right.”

The Titans (1-4), ranked No. 18 in the nation by Baseball America, can’t blame their pitching either. USC (4-0) had scored 40 runs in its last three games, but six Fullerton pitchers held the No. 2 Trojans (4-0) in check most of the game.

USC, which scored all of its runs with two outs, had only one big rally--a three- run fourth inning to tie the score at 3-3.

Fullerton had a 5-4 lead with two out in the eighth, but Trojan first baseman Bill Peavey blasted a home run to tie the game.

The home run was the only mistake made by Fullerton freshman reliever Chad Cordero, who pitched four innings, allowing only two hits. Freshman starter Darric Merrell was also impressive. In three innings, he did not give up a hit. Titan David Bacani was 4 for 5 with a double, stolen base and two runs scored.