Arizona State Rallies to Beat Fullerton, 5-3

Arizona State scored twice in the seventh inning and once in the eighth to defeat Cal State Fullerton, 5-3, in nonconference baseball Friday night at Goodwin Field.

Pinch hitter Nick Walsh gave the Sun Devils (13-2) the lead for good with a two-out single in the seventh. The Titans (6-7) put the tying runs on second and third in the bottom of the ninth, but Sun Devil reliever Bryce Kartler struck out the final two batters to record the save.

After Arizona State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, Fullerton cut the lead in half when Aaron Rifkin scored on Mike Rouse’s single. The Titans went in front, 3-2, in the fifth after Kyle Boyer scored on Mike Martinez’s triple and Rouse’s second hit of the game drove in Martinez.

In the Texas Softball Invitational:

Cal State Fullerton splits--Jodie Cox gave up four hits and stuck out nine, as the Titans beat Texas, 3-1, in their second game. Jenny Topping hit a two-run home run for the Titans (13-4).

In the first game, the Titans lost to top-ranked UCLA, 4-0.

In the Big West Conference men’s and women’s swimming championships:

Gauchos finish first--The UC Santa Barbara men’s and women’s swimming teams took first place at Long Beach Belmont Plaza. The University of Pacific was second in both divisions. The UC Irvine men and women both finished fourth.

Irvine’s Kim Wong won the 100 butterfly, finishing in 50.08. The Anteaters’ Blair Roberts won the 1-meter diving competition and UCI’s Allison Magde won the women’s 1-meter diving event.