Miller, Roadrunners Walk Off Cal St. Fullerton in Series Opener
April 01, 2022
Bakersfield, Calif. – AJ Miller drove in the winning run with a long drive into the left-center field gap in the bottom of the 11th, as CSU Bakersfield rallied to walk off Cal St. Fullerton, 7-6 in 11 innings, Friday night at Hardt Field, in the opener of a three-game weekend series. The Roadrunners fell behind late, but scored five times in the eighth inning to draw even and set the stage for Miller's extra-innings heroics. CSUB improves to 11-13 overall and remains a perfect 4-0 in Big West play with a 4-0, while the Titans drop to 9-15 and 4-3.
"That was a great win for our guys, coming from behind in that fashion," said CSUB Head Coach Jeremy Beard. "Benji didn't have his best start, but (Jaykob Acosta) and our relief guys came on and did a great job on the mound, keeping us close, while our offense put together some quality at bats and paid dividends late."
Caggianelli lasted just one inning plus, allowing only one hit, but walking four Titans and hitting another as Fullerton raced out to an early 5-0 lead. Acosta, Taylor Ott and Gabe Ulloa combined for 10 innings of relief with nine strikeouts and just one earned run allowed. Acosta kept CSUB in the game with six innings and six strikeouts behind Caggianelli, while Ulloa tossed 2.2 innings of no-hit ball to earn the victory.
The Roadrunner bats came alive in the eighth, scoring five times on five hits to pull even at six runs a piece. Evan Rice scored Nick Salas with a sharp single up the middle to complete the Bakersfield comeback and push the games to extra innings.
Miller did the rest, recording his only hit of the ball game with the bases loaded and no outs off Titan reliever Cameron Repetti.
Fullerton starter Tyler Stultz settled for a no decision after exiting with seven innings of one run baseball under his belt.
HOW IT HAPPENED...
T1 | A single, an error, a hit by pitch and a pair of walks led to three Cal St. Fullerton runs in the opening half inning of play. JJ Cruz walked in a run and Cole Urman collected a sacrifice fly to drive in a run, before Zach Lew crossed the plate on a passed ball.
T2 | Jack Haley and Caden Connor walked to lead off the second and end Caggianelli's night early. Both Titans would come around to score, pushing Fullerton's lead to 5-0. Zach Lew plated both with a two-run, two-out single into left field.
B5 | Aaron Casillas finally put Bakersfield on the board with an RBI single into left-center that chased home Jashia Morrissey, who had doubled to open the inning.
T7 | Nate Nankil picked up an RBI when his chopper to Casillas turned into a fielder's choice at second base. Pinch runner Deylan Pigford scored on the play.
B8 | Casillas drove in a pair with a single to center and Nick Salas followed with a two-run double off the fence in left field to pull the Roadrunners within a run. Salas would score when Evan Rice ripped a two-out single up the middle to draw Bakersfield even.
B11 | CSUB loaded the bases with no outs in the 11th and AJ Miller jumped on a 2-0 fastball, driving one well over the drawn in Fullerton outfield to score Salas with the game-winning run. Salas had walked to lead off the inning.
NOTABLE...
• The Roadrunners improved to 2-2 in extra innings games this season and won a Big West Conference game for the second time when trailing after eight innings of play. The Roadrunners beat UC Riverside in the bottom of the ninth inning in game two of a three-game series.
• Jaykob Acosta recorded his longest outing of the season, working six full innings and scattering six hits, while allowing just one earned run and striking out six in a tremendous outing.
• Aaron Casillas each finished with a pair of hits and two RBI as the bottom of the Bakersfield order continued to have success in Big West play. Salas added a pair of walks and scored twice, while Casillas crossed the plate once.
• James Bell led CSUB with three hits, as five Roadrunners had multi-hit outings Friday night. Casillas, Salas, Jashia Morrissey and Andrew Allanson all had a pair of base hits.
ON DECK...
The Roadrunners and Titans will meet again Saturday night at 6:05 p.m., in the second of a three-game series right here at Hardt Field. Kellen O'Connor gets the start for CSUB, opposed by Fullerton's Christian Rodriguez. Children under the age of 12 can gain free entrance to tomorrow night's contest if they show up to the game in their youth baseball or softball jersey.
