Bakersfield, Calif. – For the second-straight day, CSU Bakersfield rallied late and came from behind to beat visiting Cal St. Fullerton. This time the Roadrunners used a three-run seventh inning to slip past the Titans, 5-3, in front of a crowd of nearly 700 at Hardt Field. CSUB improved to 12-13 overall, and 5-0 in Big West Conference play, and clinched a series victory of Fullerton.
"That was a good team win for our club," said CSUB Head Coach Jeremy Beard. "We lost a lead, we can't forget that, but we came from behind to win again and our guys did a nice job staying composed and grinding out every pitch."
Trailing 3-2 in the seventh, Bakersfield loaded the bases on three-straight walks before graduate student Daniel Carrizosa flared a single into right-center field to pull the `Runners even. James Bell followed with a fielder's choice that scored two, including a hustling Nick Salas all the way from second base.
That was all the offense CSUB needed as Ryan Verdugo and Cody Tucker were excellent out of the pen, with Tucker working the final inning and a third to collect the save. Kellen O'Connor started for Bakersfield, working six innings, scattering nine hits and striking out seven Titans.
Fullerton's Christian Rodriguez was excellent allowing just four Bakersfield hits in six and a third innings, but did walk five and surrender three earned runs.
CSUB catcher Angel Saldivar was 1-for-2 with a pair of hit by pitches, homering in the bottom of the second for his first round-tripper of the season. He also threw out all three Titans who attempted to steal.
HOW IT HAPPENED...
B1 | Friday night's hero, AJ Miller put Bakersfield on the board when he singled through the right side to drive in CSUB leadoff man Evan Rice.
B2 | Saldivar doubled the Roadrunner lead when he hammered an inside fastball over the fence in left-center for a solo shot, his first of the season.
T5 | The Titans scored three times in the fifth inning, using five singles, a Bakersfield error and two successful video review challenges to jump in front, 3-2. Jackson Lyon and JT Navyac had RBI singles in the inning for Fullerton.
B7 | CSUB struck for three of their own in the seventh, beginning with an RBI single from Daniel Carrizosa. James Bell followed with a ground ball to second base and both Tyler Vargas and Nick Salas would score when Bell beat out the double play attempt at first base.
NOTABLE...
• The Roadrunners rallied in the games final third for the second-straight day and the third time in five Big West Conference wins to date. CSUB defeated UC Riverside in game two of a three game series by rallying in the bottom of the ninth, before beating Fullerton on consecutive nights in the eighth and seventh innings, respectively.
• Second baseman Nick Salas finished without an official at bat, walking in all three of his plate appearances and scoring twice. Salas is 2-for-3 in the series with a double and five bases on balls, failing to reach just once through two games played.
• CSUB's bullpen has been dazzling over the last two games, tossing 13.0 innings and allowing just a single earned run. Tonight, Ryan Verdugo collected his first career victory, while Cody Tucker earned his second career save.
• Saldivar cut down three CSF would be base stealers Saturday night, and has now caught 8 of 17 for a throw out rate of 47.0%.
ON DECK...
The Roadrunners and Titans will finish their three game series on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Bakersfield will send righty Adrian Santa Cruz to the hill in search of a series sweep, while Fullerton turns to Evan Yates in hopes of salvaging a win in the series finale.
