Titans’ starter makes fix

IRVINE — Two pitchers with All-American credentials and semi-unsightly earned-run averages put up similar numbers Saturday at Anteater Ballpark.

But the outcome was very different for Cal State Fullerton junior Daniel Renken and UC Irvine junior Christian Bergman, in a Big West Conference clash won by the Titans, 6-3, in front of 1,156.

Renken, a Friday-night starter last season who has been demoted to the Saturday role, entered with an ERA of 5.54. He was also coming off three straight subpar starts in which he had surrendered 26 hits and 15 earned runs in 17 combined innings.

Bergman, who posted a 2.90 combined ERA and was 14-5 the previous two seasons as a full-time starter, came in with a 6.02 ERA in 2010.

Bergman, who took the loss to fall to 3-2, was victimized by four unearned runs while allowing six hits and walking one in 5 1/3 innings.

But it was Bergman’s throwing error that opened the door to a four-run Fullerton third that allowed the Titans (17-12, 4-1 in conference) to even the series and pull back into a first-place tie with the No. 18-ranked Anteaters (18-10, 4-1).

The series concludes today at 2 p.m. in a game televised nationally by ESPNU.

Bergman hit Anthony Hutting in the back with a throw to first base after fielding a swinging bunt near the first-base line to open the third.

Four Titans hits later, including a run-producing triple by Gary Brown, an RBI single by Carlos Lopez and a two-run single by Billy Marcoe, and the Titans had turned a two-run deficit into a two-run lead.

Renken, who gave up two unearned runs in the second inning to fall behind, hung in there to improve to 4-2. He allowed five hits in 6 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out four.

Despite a similar line, Renken emerged with a good feeling, while Bergman, some would suggest, has yet to shake the struggles that have plagued him this season.

“I think he’d be the first to admit that he has been very inconsistent in the strike zone,” UCI Coach Mike Gillespie said of Bergman. “He’s a guy that has to command the strike zone, primarily meaning he has to [keep the ball] down. If he doesn’t, like anybody else, he gets hit.”

Fullerton Coach Dave Serrano, who guided the Anteaters to the 2007 World Series, had a more positive assessment of Renken.

“He has been working extremely hard in the last two weeks on getting back in the mold of what we’re used to with Daniel Renken,” Serrano said. “It didn’t surprise me that he did that today. We need him to step up and pitch like he did today; to be the All-American junior who has had a lot of experience. He did a wonderful job.”

The Fullerton offense handled its business as well as every spot in the order produced at least one hit.

Nick Ramirez, who surrendered Jeff Cusick’s game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning of UCI’s 7-4 series-opening win Friday, homered for the second straight game. Ramirez’s two-run blast to center upped the Titans’ lead to 6-2 in the sixth.

UCI scored a run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Sean Madigan. But the Anteaters’ last nine batters were retired in order, the final six by freshman Dylan Floro, who posted his first save.

Four UCI relievers, including freshman left-handers Ruben Orosco (two innings), combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings, after freshman reliever Andy Lines allowed the homer to Ramirez.

Cusick, whose last three hits against Fullerton before Saturday were home runs, dating back to last season, went two for four with a double to extend his hitting streak to 19.

Matt Summers had the other RBI for UCI.

Big West Conference

Cal State Fullerton 6, UC Irvine 3

SCORE BY INNINGS

CSF 004 002 000 - 6 10 2

UCI 020 000 100 - 3 5 2

Renken, Hurlbut (7), Floro (8) and Marcoe; Bergman, Lines (6), Hoover (6), Orosco (7), Hooper (9), Whitehouse (9) and Larson. W – Renken, 4-2. L – Bergman, 3-2. Sv – Floro (1). 2B – Cusick (UCI), Pill (CSF). 3B – Brown (CSF), Jones (CSF). HR – Ni. Ramirez (CSF).