BIG WEST CONFERENCE BASEBALL HIGHTLIGHTS

WAVES UPSET TITANS

Pepperdine’s Jason Dominguez three-hit Cal State Fullerton for seven innings in a mid-week afternoon contest at Eddy D. Field Stadium as the Waves upset the Titans 6-2 in a non-conference game Tuesday afternoon.

Dominguez improved to 1-2 with the win that boosted Pepperdine’s overall record to 25-12, dropping the Titans to 26-10. Fullerton starter Jared Clark picked up his first career loss and fell to 0-1.

Clark was roughed up in the second as the Waves sent 10 batters to the plate. He surrendered just four hits, but also walked two and hit a man. The big blows came as back-to-back hits by David Uribes (2-run single) and Chad Tracy (2-run double) extended the early lead to 5-0.

Though Pepperdine added one more in the top of the fifth, Dominguez would need no more than the second inning’s runs to pick up his first career victory. The freshman did not allow a runner to reach third base through seven innings, holding everyone but Justin Turner, Sergio Pedroza and John Curtis hitless. It wasn’t until the top of the eighth that Fullerton broke through, drawing two walks to knock the righty out of the game.

Reliever Konoske did his best to save the shutout, but a fielder’s choice and two singles by Justin Turner and Brett Pill drove in two runs before Danny Dorn lined sharply to the shortstop to end the inning and the Titan comeback.

Titan Relievers John Estes and Nolan Bruyninckx shined brightly as they held the Waves to just one hit over the final four innings of the game.

Fullerton is set to finish a suspended game and play an additional make-up game with USC tomorrow beginning at 5:00 pm. The make-up game will begin approximately 45 minutes after the completion of the suspended game. Following the USC games Fullerton will travel to take on UC Davis in a non-conference weekend series Friday Saturday and Sunday.

LONG BEACH STATE UPSET BY LIONS

No. 9-ranked Long Beach State (27-13) gave up a season-high 10 runs as Loyola Marymount (16-20) split the season series with The Beach, winning 10-6 on Tuesday afternoon.
Six Dirtbags pitchers gave up 13 hits, a day the national statistics released that the Dirtbag pitching staff led the nation in ERA (1.94). It rose to 2.12 on the season.
Evan Longoria went 4-for-5 with two RBIs, while Sean Boatright extended his hit streak to 17 games with two more hits.
In a game that looked ugly early, LMU went up 4-0 after two innings, scoring all four runs (three earned) off of Dirtbag starter Cody Evans on five hits. Evans got just two outs in the second, before being relieved by Donnie Hume who pitched the next 2.0 shutout innings. The Lions then took a 7-4 lead with three runs off of Andrew Liebel in the fifth.
A two-out, two-run single by Joe Frazee gave the Lions a three-run cushion in the inning. The two teams then traded runs in the bottom of the sixth as a Matt White solo homerun off of Matt Fitts made it 8-5.
Scott Juneau gave two more runs in the eighth, one on a solo shot by Jon Oller to make it 10-5.
The Beach had tied it at 4-4 in the fourth inning off an RBI double by Cole Jacobsen. Three runs in the third inning had cut the lead 4-3. A two-run single by Sean Boatright followed by an RBI single by Evan Longoria made it a one-run ballgame. Boatright's hit extended his streak to 17 games.
Kyle Huddy (2-2) went the first 5.0 innings for LMU, giving up five runs on seven hits, before Daniel Macias pitched the next 1.2 shutout innings. Blake Feaser pitched the final 2.1 innings, giving up a run off an RBI single from Longoria in the ninth.
The Dirtbags travel North this weekend, as does three other Southern California teams, as LBSU takes on Pacific, UC Irvine plays in Sacramento, CS Fullerton is in Davis and LMU is at San Francisco. Tomorrow's Mike Weathers Show at Cirivello's at 4115 Viking Way in Long Beach will feature Jared Hughes and Steve Hammond.

TIGERS EDGED BY GAELS

The Pacific Tigers baseball team suffered a 3-2 loss to Saint Mary's on Tuesday, Apr. 19. The loss dropped the Tigers to 17-22 on the season, while the Gaels moved to 13-22.
Saint Mary's got all of their offense in the top of the first inning. The first two batters for the Gaels flew out to center, then Saint Mary's got a walk and four consecutive hits to take a 3-0 lead.
The Tigers got a run back in the bottom of the first inning as freshman Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) led off with a single, then junior Jerin Harper (Spokane, Wash.) reached on an infield single to put runners on first and second. One out later, senior Brandon Gottier (Bellingham, Wash.) walked to load the bases. Following a strikeout, junior Anthony Jackson (Modesto, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to force home Ching, cutting the Gaels' lead to 3-1.
Pacific pulled within a run in the eighth inning as Gottier led off the inning with a bunt single, then with one out, Jackson doubled down the right field line. Junior Will Brindza (Sherwood, Ore.) followed with an RBI single to left field to plate Gottier. The Tigers, however, were unable to push across the tying run.
Pacific had another golden opportunity in the bottom of the ninth as senior Jesse Kovacs (Carmel, Calif.) walked, one out later, Harper singled to right, then junior Matt Berezay (Manteca, Calif.) walked to load the bases with one out. Unfortunately the Tigers' threat was ended with two strikeouts.

The Tigers left 12 runners on base in the game, including four in the final two innings.
Junior Eric Stolp (Oakhurst, Calif.) took the loss (1-4) for Pacific as he allowed all three of Saint Mary's runs in the first inning. Junior Tyler McCready (Aiea, Hawaii) came in and tossed six innings of no-hit relief to keep the Tigers in the game, but it wasn't enough.
Saint Mary's Dan Lewis (2-0) got the win as he allowed one run on four hits in five innings, while Justin Sloan gave up one run on five hits in four innings for his first save of the season.

TROJANS VICTORIOUS AGAINST UCSB

Junior Jack Spradlin (Bonita/Eastlake HS/Southwestern College) earned his fourth victory in his last six starts Tuesday as the No. 25/22 USC Trojans defeated the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, 8-2, at Dedeaux Field.
Sophomore Paul Koss (Orange/Orange Lutheran HS) threw two innings in relief to earn his eighth save of the season.
Spradlin (4-1) is 4-0 in his last six starts for USC (23-10) with a 1.47 ERA, allowing just seven earned runs in 43 innings pitched with 32 hits, seven walks and 34 strikeouts.
The Trojans have won six of their last seven games and nine of their last 11.
Catcher Jeff Clement clubbed his ninth home run of the season with a two-run homer in the fifth. Clement is now tied for fourth with current Houston Astro third baseman Morgan Ensberg with 40 career home runs on USC's all-time list and needs three more to tie Eric Munson for third.
RBIs from Darin Vieira (single), Hector Estrella (sacrifice fly) and Roberto Lopez (groundout) gave USC a 3-0 lead in the first. Matt Kalafatis used a safety squeeze in the fifth to put UC Santa Barbara (19-19) on the scoreboard with one run.
The Gauchos scored another run in the sixth, down 5-2 with runners at first and second. Reliever Zack Kalter allowed a single to pinch hitter Matt Aidem and during the play, the runners did not advance as Aidem was caught in a rundown off first base for the second out. Kalter struck out Bill Rowe looking to end the inning.

Baron Frost went 3-for-4 for the Trojans, the first time he has had three or more hits in a game this season.

WEST COAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL HIGHLIGHTS

Loyola Marymount - 10
No. 9 Long Beach State - 6

For the second time in three weeks, LMU baseball notched a victory over a top-ten team when the Lions defeated ninth-ranked Long Beach State 10-6 Tuesday at Page Stadium. LMU (16-20) scored more runs and tallied more hits than any other team to face the 49ers (27-13) this season in the final mid-week home match-up.
LMU broke open a 4-4 game in the bottom of the fifth when a two-out, two-run single by senior Joe Frazee gave the Lions a three-run cushion. LMU entered the top of the sixth with 7-4 lead after scoring the three runs off Long Beach State reliever Andrew Liebel.
The Lions had built a 4-0 lead after just two innings of play against top-10 49ers, scoring all four runs on five hits off of starter Cody Evans.
But Long Beach State tied it at 4-4 in the fourth on an RBI double by Cole Jacobsen. Three 49er runs in the third inning cut the lead to 4-3. A two-run single by Sean Boatright followed by an RBI single by Evan Longoria made it a one-run ballgame.
The two teams then traded runs in the sixth as a Chris Pettit solo homerun off of Matt Fitts made it 8-5. LMU added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by senior Jon Oller's team-leading seventh home run of the season to make it 10-5.
Six Long Beach State pitchers combined to give up 13 hits, on a day the national statistics released that the 49er pitching staff led the nation in ERA (1.94).
Long Beach State was led by Evan Longoria, who went 4-for-5 with two RBI, while Sean Boatright extended his hit streak to 17 games with two more hits.
LMU starter Kyle Huddy (2-2) struck out four in his five innings of work, before sophomore Daniel Macias pitched the next 1.2 shutout innings. Blake Feaser pitched the final 2.1 innings to earn his third save of the season.
Frazee finished the day 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored in a game that saw every spot in the LMU lineup tally a hit.

Pepperdine - 6
No. 2 Cal State Fullerton - 2

Making his first career start and returning to the field for the first time since being sidelined three weeks with an injury, freshman right hander Jason Dominguez made a triumphant return as he limited No. 2 Cal State Fullerton to just three hits over seven-plus innings to help Pepperdine to a 6-2 victory Tuesday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium.
Dominguez, who was hit in the face with a baseball during a series at San Francisco the first weekend in April, held the Titans scoreless for seven innings, allowed three hits, two runs (one earned), walked four and struck out three to pick up his first career victory.
The win was Pepperdine's third over a Top 5-ranked opponent this year and improved the Waves to 25-12 on the season. Cal State Fullerton fell to 26-10 overall.
Dominguez (1-2) was in command throughout his first seven innings of work as he did not allow a runner to reach third base. Twice when the Titans got a runner on base, the rookie right hander was able to get an inning-ending double play ball.
The Titans did not have two runners on base at the same time until the eighth when Dominguez walked the first two batters to open the inning.
While Dominguez was shutting down Cal State Fullerton, Pepperdine sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs in the second inning against Titans right hander Jared Clark.
The Waves took a 1-0 lead on a bases-loaded walk by Adrian Ortiz. Junior second baseman David Uribes drove home two runs with a single and sophomore catcher Chad Tracy followed with a two-run triple off the glove of Sergio Pedroza in deep right field that gave Pepperdine a 5-0 lead.
Freshman shortstop Danny Worth added an RBI single in the fifth to increase the Waves advantage to 6-0.
Uribes and Donald Brown led Pepperdine with two hits apiece. Freshman right hander Doug Konoske worked the final two innings, allowing two hits and one run.
Pepperdine returns to action on Friday when it opens a three-game series at Gonzaga beginning at 3 p.m.

Saint Mary's - 3
Pacific - 2

The Saint Mary's baseball team received nine strong combined innings from Dan Lewis and Justin Sloan and scored three runs in the first inning and held on to a 3-2 victory over the Pacific Tigers on Tuesday night in Stockton. With the win the Gaels improve to 13-22 on the season and Pacific fell to 17-22.
Dan Lewis made his first start of the season for the Gaels and went five innings, allowing one run on four hits, while striking out three batters. Justin Sloan relieved Lewis and pitched the game's final four innings, allowing one run on five hits, while striking out five batters.
Saint Mary's jumped on the board early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning with a two-out rally. Bryan Byrne led the rally off with a walk, followed by a Sam Carter single and a clutch double by Delaney Gallagher, scoring Byrne and Carter. Adam Bellows followed with a single to score Gallagher from second, giving the Gaels a 3-0 lead.
Pacific scored one run in the bottom of the first off Lewis and later added one run in the eighth inning off Sloan.
Delaney Gallagher finished 1-for-2 with two RBI and one run scored, Adam Bellows went 1-for-3 with one RBI and Ian Gordon went 2-for-4. The Gaels had five hits and no errors, while Pacific had nine hits and no errors.

San Francisco - 9
Sacramento State - 3

USF baseball captured its fourth straight win with a 9-3 decision against Sacramento State in non-conference action Tuesday afternoon at Benedetti Diamond. The Diamond Dons (27-12) broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning and never looked back completing the season series sweep against the Hornets (17-21).
Senior right-handed reliever T.J. Franco (4-3) collected his second consecutive win, allowing one run off two hits in 3.0 innings and struck out six, including three consecutive. Junior left-handed starter Kyle Christensen (2-1) suffered the loss for Sacramento State, allowing five runs (four earned) off eight hits.
San Francisco trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth before scoring its first run on an RBI single from sophomore outfielder Scott Cousins. The Hornets responded, scoring a run on a wild pitch in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead.
USF erupted for four runs in the fifth on a two-run double down the left field line by freshman shortstop Tavo Hall, an RBI single from senior infielder Royce Fukuroku and scored another run on an error to take a 5-3 advantage.
Sophomore outfielder Lucas DeLong powered his fourth home run of the season to deep right in the sixth and the Dons added three more runs in the seventh.
Junior outfielder Jonnie Knoble led the way offensively for the Dons, finishing 3-for-5. Hall went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, while Fukuroku also went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sophomore designated hitter Daniel Morales collected a pair of base hits as did Cousins who drove in a pair.
Junior outfielder Jim Strombach went 2-for-4 for Sacramento State, while junior infielder Brian Blauser tripled.

Washington State - 8
Gonzaga - 4

Washington State freshman Garrett Kimbrel hit a three-run triple during a six-run fifth inning as the Cougar baseball team defeated Gonzaga 8-4 Tuesday night at Bailey-Brayton Field. The game marked the end of the season series against the Bulldogs with the Cougs winning the series 4-1.
WSU (18-20, 0-9 Pacific-10 Conference) starting pitcher Wayne Daman Jr. (5-3) earned the win in his first appearance against the Zags this season. Daman held the Bulldogs scoreless over three innings, allowing two hits, one walk and striking out one batter faced. Senior Dane Renkert earned his fourth save of the season pitching the final 1.1 innings, allowing no runs on two hits.
Chris Albrecht (0-1) took the loss of Gonzaga (23-14, 10-4 West Coast Conference) throwing 4.1 innings allowing six runs, all earned on nine hits.
Jay Miller and Brady Everett both recorded three hits for the Cougars. Miller, who went 3-for-4 against the Bulldogs, has recorded multiple hits in 15 games this season, which leads the team, and is leading WSU batters with 53 hits. Everett went 3-for-5 against the Zags, scoring one run and driving home two Cougar runs.
The Cougars scored a pair of runs in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Kaeo Rubin scored the first WSU run when Brady Everett hit into a fielder's choice. One batter later, Zach McAngus plated Jason Freeman with an infield single.
WSU rallied in the sixth inning, sending all nine batters in the lineup to the plate, scoring six runs. With one out in the inning, Freeman and Miller hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. During the next at-bat, Everett recorded his second run batted in of the game when he hit a double to left that scored Freeman. Following an intentional walk to Jim Murphy to load the bases, designated hitter Zach Franklin was hit by a pitch to drive home Miller. The remaining three runs of the inning came on Kimbrel's triple that scored Everett, Murphy and Franklin.
Gonzaga scored all four of its runs in the eighth inning. The Bulldogs' runs came on a single by Jeff Culpepper, a bases loaded walk to Mike Terry, a sacrifice fly by Aaron McGuinness and a Cougar throwing error.

Washington - 15
Portland - 7

Sunny skies and a steady wind blowing towards the outfield had batters crushing home runs left, right, and center all game long on Tuesday afternoon during Portland's 15-7 loss to the visiting University of Washington Huskies. A total of nine home runs were belted during the game, the most of any Portland contest so far this season.
Jason Krohn and Matthew Peters led Portland (12-24, 3-12 WCC) offensively, both registering three hits and a home run. Justin Pierce added the other long ball for the Pilots. Freshman Matt Hague paced the Huskies (24-14, 4-5 Pac-10) with three runs scored, three hits, two home runs, five runs batted in, and even struck out two Pilots in one scoreless inning of relief.
The Pilots struck first in their half of the first inning, as Matthew Peters crushed his team-leading seventh home run of the year to straightaway center field to give Portland an early 3-0 lead. Washington responded quickly, however, as Matt Hague blasted a grand slam off Pilot starter Chris Siegfried to gain a lead that the Huskies would not relinquish.
The teams traded two-run third innings, but Washington replied with a four-run fourth inning that put the Huskies ahead by a score of 10-5. The Huskies added a run in the sixth and a four-run eighth inning, while the Pilots scored in both the sixth and the ninth innings.
Portland reliever Joe Jones was stellar in 3 2/3 innings of relief, allowing only two hits and one run. In his eighth relief appearance of the year, Jones efficiently worked the outside corner of the plate, striking out four Washington batters and walking none.

Cal State Northridge - 13 (10)
San Diego - 12

Cal State Northridge snapped a 10-game losing streak by edging visiting San Diego 13-12 in ten innings Tuesday at CSUN's Matador Field. The Toreros were playing its first mid-week game in over a month. A road date with No. 2 Cal State Fullerton on May 17th will conclude San Diego's non-conference schedule.

Utes Destroy Falcons

The University of Utah baseball team picked up a record-setting win in Saturday's nightcap of a doubleheader at Air Force. The Utes hammered the Falcons by a score of 32-4.
Utah's 32 runs and 34 hits were both school and Mountain West Conference records. Utah's previous single-game runs record was 30, set against Air Force in 1985. The MWC record had been 31, set by New Mexico against the Falcons last season. Utah's old mark for hits was 29, set in 1980 against BYU. The MWC record for hits was 28, also by the Lobos against Air Force last season.
Utah (11-19, 4-8 MWC) jumped on top 6-0 in the first inning and never looked back. But it was the Utes' 13-run outburst in the ninth inning that turned the game from a simple rout to an absolute annihilation. Utah batted around twice in the inning, sending 18 batters to the plate. Included in the ninth-inning explosion for Utah was a grand slam from backup first baseman Jake Waldram.
The game was more or less decided after the first three innings. The first five Utah batters reached base safely on four hits and a walk, knocking Air Force starter John Meyers out of the ballgame. Utah already led 2-0 when Paul Vignola took over on the mound for the Falcons. After recording one out, Vignola was greeted by a two-run double from Utah designated hitter Ryder Olsen to make it 4-0. Later in the inning, catcher Adam Frank ripped a two-RBI double to center, giving his team a 6-0 lead before the Falcons even stepped into the batters' box.
Utah starter Chad Cullers tossed three shutout innings, before giving way to the bullpen. He has been eased back, since returning from a shoulder injury earlier this week. While Cullers was keeping Air Force scoreless, the Ute offense continued to extend its lead. Right fielder Joe Mozeleski doubled home two runs in the second. Jay Brossman made it 10-0 for Utah in the third with a two-run home run.

Air Force (5-23, 0-9) finally got on the board in the fourth, scoring four runs off reliever Stephen Collora. Those runs cut the Falcons' deficit to eight runs, 11-3. But Brian Lane, Brandon Bailey and Brian Hedman combined to hold Air Force to just one more run over the remainder of the contest.
Offensively, the Utes just kept rolling. After a single run in the fourth, Utah put seven on the board in the fifth and one in the seventh, before exploding in the final frame. For the game, every Utah batter who made a plate appearance - 13 in all - picked up at least one hit. Ten Utes had multi-hit games.
Leading the way for the Utes was Doug Beck, who was 5-for-6 with four runs scored and five RBIs. Jay Brossman, who went 4-for-6 with four runs scored and four RBIs in the nightcap, finished the day with 10 RBIs in the doubleheader.
Brian Lane (3-3) picked up the victory out of the bullpen. He tossed four innings, allowing one hit and striking out six. Meyers dropped to 0-4, suffering the loss for Air Force.
Utah is back in action again Tuesday, when it travels to Orem for a contest with Utah Valley State.

Cougars Face No. 2 NAIA Division Team

Two of the nation's winningest baseball teams square off Tuesday when BYU hosts Lewis-Clark State at 3 p.m., at Larry H. Miller Field.
The Cougars, 23-8-2, host the Warriors, who bring a 28-5 record and a No. 2 ranking in the NAIA division to Provo.
You can nearly count on just two hands the teams who have beaten these two teams. In BYU's case it is UC Irvine, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts, New Mexico, and UNLV, all teams which it has also beaten, and Oregon State. For the Warriors, their losses have been only to British Columbia, Portland, Washington State, Oregon Tech and Eastern Oregon.
LCSC has also beaten Utah Valley State, 18-3, and the Warriors will play at UVSC the day after competing at BYU. Lewis and Clark State has won 13 NAIA National championships (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003).
After the Cougars play LCSC, BYU then hosts San Diego State in a three-game Mountain West Conference series starting on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Matt Jensen (4-0, 4.18) is scheduled to start on the mound for BYU against LCSC on Tuesday. Reigning MWC Pitcher of the Week, Dave Horlacher (3-1, 2.94), will start for BYU on Thursday. Brandon Christiansen (3-0, 4.00) is the Cougars' starting pitcher for Friday. Saturday's BYU hurler is yet to be determined due to the ankle injury to Blake Torgerson (4-2, 5.36).
Friday's BYU-SDSU game at 7 p.m., will also be televised live nationally on BYUTV and locally by KBYU channel 11 with Jay Monsen and Gary Sheide calling the action.
This weekend at Miller Park there will be doubleheaders with BYU baseball and softball. The Cougar softball team hosts Colorado State at 5 and 7 p.m., then on Saturday it hosts New Mexico at 2 and 4 p.m.
BYU's baseball team is now receiving votes in two of the four national baseball polls, again in the NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association) and now the Sports Weekly/ESPN College Baseball Coaches Poll.

Lobos Use Long Ball To Beat SDSU

New Mexico used three home runs to score all of its runs as it defeated San Diego State, 6-4, Sunday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Aztec offense, which had scored 32 runs against the Lobos in the previous two contests, was held in check for the most part by UNM starter Darren Coltrinari as his side improved to 16-17 overall and 6-6 in the Mountain West Conference.
San Diego State (9-21; 4-5 MWC) could not cash in on several scoring opportunities as it put at least one man on base in every inning. The Aztecs left a total of 11 men on base on the day as it saw a brief two-game win streak come to an end.
SDSU took the early lead in the game, scoring single runs in both the first and second innings on RBI singles by Brock Ungricht and Quintin Berry. However, that 2-0 lead was erased with one swing of the bat in the third as Lobo catcher Jeff Grady homered to left field, scoring Matt Foote ahead of him. Foote had reached on an Aztec fielding error to open the inning.
The visitors took the lead in the next frame as designated hitter Chris Carlson led off with a solo home run to make it a 3-2 contest. UNM extended that margin to 6-2 in the fifth when Garrick Haymore hit a ball deep over the right field fence with two men aboard.
All six New Mexico runs came off Aztec starter Ben Coon, who took the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year. Coon gave up a total of six hits over his five innings of work while striking out four.
San Diego State tried to get back into the contest with a pair of runs in the sixth to close the score to 6-4. Jake McLintock's one-out double and a walk to Jordan Swaydan were followed by run-scoring singles off the bats of Sam Pepper and Joseph Scaperotta, but that's as close as the home side would come.

The Aztecs threatened in the ninth, putting two men on with one out before Lobo reliever Petr Pacas came on to record the final two outs and notch his second save.
Up next for San Diego State is a non-conference contest against UC Irvine on Tuesday (Apr. 12) at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Following that game, the team will head to Provo, Utah, for a three-game MWC series with league-leading Brigham Young.

HIGHLANDERS DOMINATE HUSKIES

UC Riverside salvaged its three-game series against the University of Washington with a 14-1 victory Sunday afternoon at the Riverside Sports Complex. The win snaps the Huskies’ four-game winning streak and improves the Highlanders’ record to 14-17.
UCR almost recorded as many hits Sunday (13) as they had in the previous two games combined (14), while holding the Huskies to just one unearned run on five hits. Matt Cunningham and Anthony Claggett each went 2-for-5 with two RBI while Nick Salotti was also 2-for-5 to improve his hitting streak to a season-high 14 games. Jeff Abney also drove in two runs and Brian Steinmeyer was 2-for-2 with an RBI and three runs scored as every UCR starter got at least one hit.
For the second day in a row, the Highlanders scored twice in the bottom of the first to take the lead. With one out, Andrew Garcia singled to center. Salotti then hit his team-leading eleventh double that put runners on second and third. After Aaron Grant popped up, Cunningham turned on an 0-2 breaking ball, driving it to left for a two-run single.
Unlike the previous night when the Huskies (21-13) exploded in the middle innings, Taylor Bills kept UW in check, taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning. UCR added to its lead with two more runs in the fourth. Grant led off with a walk and Cunningham followed with a single. Andrew Martinez moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt before Steinmeyer brought Grant home with a single to right. The Highlanders then executed a fine squeeze play as Cunningham slid under catcher Joey Dunn’s tag on Jeff Abney’s bunt.
Washington looked to make a game of it with a run in the top of the fifth that cut it 4-1 but UCR broke the game open with six runs in the bottom of the frame. The Highlanders loaded the bases with no outs but, with the infield in, Cunningham’s chopper went straight to first baseman Kyle Larsen. Looking to get the runner at the plate and possibly turn a double play, Larsen threw home but his throw was wide and rolled to the backstop, allowing two runs to score. The floodgates opened as Martinez hit a sacrifice fly for another run, Abney hit an RBI single, and a throwing error extended the inning for Bigler to hit another run-scoring single. Another run came home on a wild pitch as UCR took a 10-1 lead.
The Highlanders tacked on two more runs in the seventh and eighth innings. The Huskies wound up committing four errors, their highest single-game total of the season. UW pitchers also walked nine.
Bills (3-5) left the game after allowing up just one hit over five innings and gave up one unearned run despite walking three. Daniel Stange pitched three innings of two hit ball and Anthony Claggett finished it off with two strikeouts in the ninth.
Matt Kasser (3-3) was roughed up for four runs on five hits and three walks in 3 1/3 innings. David Dowling relieved but allowed six runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings. Keaton Everitt and Brandon McKerney each gave up two runs on two hits in 1 2/3 innings.

IRVINE GETS SHUT OUT BY DIRT BAGS

Starting pitcher Jered Hughes tossed a complete-game shutout to give Long Beach State the series win over UC Irvine Sunday at Anteater Ballpark. Hughes held the Anteaters to two hits and struck out 10 batters to improve to 4-3 on the season. With the win the Dirtbags improve to 24-11 overall and 5-1 in league action while UC Irvine drops to 15-15 overall and 2-4 in the Big West.
Outfielder Sean Boatright’s solo home run in the fourth put the Beach on the board and recorded added a two-run double in a five-run sixth for Long Beach State. Boatright was 2 for 5 with three RBI while first baseman Brandon Godfrey went 4 for 5 from the plate. Catcher Tito Cruz and outfielder Steve Velazco each added two RBI apiece in the win.
The Anteaters had opportunities to score early in the game, putting a runner in scoring position in the second, third and fourth innings with less than two outs, but were unable to come up with the clutch hit.
UCI starter Steve Schroer held Long Beach State to a run in five innings, but ran into trouble in the sixth. After Boatright’s double, the right-hander gave way to reliever Nash Robertson. Schroer fell to 3-4, giving up five runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings.

FULLERTON ROCKS NORTHRIDGE

A five-run seventh inning blew open a close game as Cal State Northridge (12-17-1, 0-6 BWC) lost in the finale to Cal State Fullerton (23-8, 5-1 BWC) on Sunday afternoon at Matador Field. Scott Sarver shut down the Matador offense, improving to 4-2 this season, as he and the rest of the Titans beat CSUN 8-1 to complete the Big West Conference sweep.With Fullerton leading 2-1, three Matador errors helped fuel the big inning for CSF in the seventh. After doubles by Felipe Garcia and pinch-hitting Evan McArthur scored one run, Raymond Ravago threw away a ground ball to short to allow a second run to score. After the Titans loaded up the bases, Sergio Pedroza sent a base hit out to right field that would have scored two more runs. But, the ball was misplayed by Alberto Quintana, who was making his first ever start for CSUN in right field, and a following bad throw allowed another run to score. Pedroza was thrown out at third trying to advance, but the damage was done and the day was over for CSUN starter Jimmy Brettl.The Titans scored runs in the third and fifth to take a 2-0 lead. Neil Walton singled to lead off the third inning and moved up a base on a one-out hit from Bobby Andrews. After a double steal, Walton trotted home on an RBI groundout for the first run. A leadoff double by Ronnie Prettyman came around to score on another one-out RBI groundball to give CSF its second run.Northridge rallied back for a run in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of a throwing error by Sarver. After Paulk led off the frame with a single to left-center, he advanced all the way to third base on a failed pick-off attempt. Adam Fleener then drove in Paulk with a sharp line drive to left field to cut the deficit to 2-1.Brettl pitched well for the Matadors, but failed to get the offense needed for his first win this season. His final line was four earned runs off nine hits with two strikeouts in 6.2 innings.Sarver allowed seven hits and one unearned run with five strikeouts in seven innings.Pedroza led the Fullerton offense with a 3-for-4 day, driving in a pair of runs. All eight hits for Northridge were spread out evenly, with only Jeff Tezak failing to get a single.

CAL POLY EDGES PACIFIC

The Pacific Tigers baseball team fought back from a 3-0 deficit to force extra innings, but fell, 6-3, in 10 innings. The loss dropped the Tigers to 16-18 on the season and 3-3 in the Big West Conference, while Cal Poly moved to 22-13 overall and 5-1 in conference.
Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, junior Matt Berezay (Manteca, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, then one out later junior Will Brindza (Sherwood, Ore.) put runners at first and second. Junior Ryan Wilmer (San Mateo, Calif.) worked a walk to load the bases, then one out later, junior Jerin Harper (Spokane, Wash.) forced in Berezay by drawing a walk. The next Pacific batter, junior Dale Hall (Wenatchee, Wash.) lined a two-run single into right field to tie the game at 3-3.

Hall continued to dazzle in the top of the ninth as with no outs and the Mustangs Brandon Roberts on first base, Hall made a diving stop on a ball hit up the middle by Cal Poly's Josh Lansford. Hall flipped the ball to second baseman Adam Ching (Rancho Satnta Margarita, Calif.) to force Roberts, then Ching doubled-up Lansford with a strong throw to first.
The Tigers, however, could not score in either the bottom of the eighth or the ninth and Cal Poly took the lead with three runs (two earned) in the top of the tenth.

In the bottom of the tenth, the Tigers brought the tying run to the plate with two outs as junior Jesse Kovacs (Carmel, Calif.) and Berezay had reached on back-to-back singles, but senior Brandon Gottier (Bellingham, Wash.) grounded out to end the game.
Cal Poly closer Mike Bille (1-1) picked up the win despite blowing the save as he allowed four hits in 3.1 innings of work. Pacific closer, senior Josh Schmidt (Sierra Madre, Calif.) took the loss (4-3) as he allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits in three innings.