Titans Get Back on Track

NORTHRIDGE — Like a fastball under a batter’s chin, Cal State Fullerton’s 4-1 nonconference baseball victory over Cal State Northridge on Wednesday at Matador Field served a purpose.

“This was an important game for us to get back on track,” Coach Augie Garrido said. “We’ve had a rough go lately and we needed to win a hard-fought game like this.”

After losing two of three to Long Beach State last weekend and falling into second place in the Big West, Fullerton (40-8) went with big guns, starting right-handed ace Kirk Irvine and finishing with Mark Chavez, who notched his eighth save.

This was the only regular-season meeting between Fullerton and upstart Northridge (42-13), which has as many victories as any team in the nation and holds a one-game lead in the Western Athletic Conference.

The Matadors scored fewer runs than in any home game this season primarily because of Fullerton’s strong defense.

The Titans turned a triple play in the fifth inning on a line drive by Adam Kennedy that was backhanded by first baseman C.J. Ankrum, who stepped on first to retire Ryan Hurd and threw to second to get Cesar Martinez.

Northridge also had runners on first and second with none out in the third, but a long drive by Robert Fick was chased down by Mark Kotsay in center field for the first out. Kennedy moved to third on the catch, but Kotsay caught a fly ball hit by the next batter, Eric Gillespie, and threw out Kennedy trying to score.

Catcher Brian Loyd held the ball despite being knocked over by Kennedy, one of several fine plays by the Titan junior. Loyd threw out two runners attempting to steal, made a diving catch of a foul pop-up on a bunt, and blocked several pitches with runners on third.

Mike Greenlee (3-1), the second of five Titan pitchers, got the victory after pitching the third and fourth. Chavez gave up no hits and one walk over the final three innings.