Bakersfield, Calif. – CSU Bakersfield rallied for the third-straight game, taking their first lead of the game in the fifth inning, but Cal St. Fullerton scored the final four runs of the game to salvage a 10-7 win in Sunday's series finale at Hardt Field. The Roadrunners lost for the first time this season in Big West Conference play, but did win the series over the visiting Titans two games to one thanks to comeback victories on both Friday and Saturday. 

"We battled back all weekend, but its truly very difficult to come from behind and win when you start a game with a 5-0 deficit," said CSUB Head Coach Jeremy Beard. "Winning the series was a great prize, but we felt like we had a great chance to win again today and let one get away. We missed some pitches today and they're a quality team; they made us pay." 

Fullerton took a 5-0 lead after two innings of play, chasing CSUB starter Adrian Santa Cruz after just 0.1 innings, but the Roadrunners scored two in the third, two in the fourth and three in the fifth innings coming all the way back to grab a 7-6 lead. The Titans evened the score in the top of the seventh and scored three more times in the eighth to avoid the sweep. 

Shortstop Aaron Casillas was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI to lead Bakersfield at the plate. All 10 Fullerton hitters to come to the plate had at least one hit on the afternoon, paced by Jackson Lyon's four-hit performance, which included a first-inning home run to open the scoring. 

T1 | Fullerton scored three times in the first inning, beginning with a long solo home run off the bat of Jackson Lyon. Cole Urman and Nate Nankil added RBI singles in the frame.

T2 | Caden Connor jumped on a fastball and belted a two-run home run to right-center field to give the Titans an early 5-0 advantage.

B3 | The Roadrunners got on the board in the third inning, scoring twice on an RBI double from second-baseman Nick Salas and an RBI ground out from Evan Rice.

T4 | The Titans answered with a run in the fourth on an RBI single from Jason Brandow, which scored Jackson Lyon to make it 6-2.

B4 | Two `Runners would score twice on a wild pitch in the fourth. Morrissey scored from third and the throw by CSF catcher hit him in the helmet, caroming away and allowing Saldivar to score all the way from second.

B5 | CSUB grabbed its first lead of the day with three runs in the fifth. Andrew Allanson connected on a sacrifice fly, Jashia Morrissey drove in a run with a double and Aaron Casillas put the Roadrunners in front with an 0-2 single to center.

T7 | JT Navyac singled through the right side to score pinch runner Damone Hale and tie the game at 7-7.

T8 | Brandow, Urman and Brendan Bobo all had RBI singles in the eighth inning to give CSF a 10-7 lead and set the final margin. 

   

• The Roadrunner bullpen pitched 21.2 of the team's 29.0 innings pitched this series and allowed just eight earned runs (3.32 earned run average), seven of which were scored in today's contest. 

• Bakersfield fell for the first time in league play. The Roadrunners were the last Big West program to drop a conference contest this season. 

• Fullerton's 18 hits was the most by a CSUB opponent since Utah Valley totaled 20 in a win on April 13, 2017. 

 

Bakersfield will travel to California Baptist for the backend of a home-and-home on Tuesday, April 5 at 6:00 p.m. The Lancers nipped CSUB at Hardt Field earlier this season, 4-3. On Friday, CSUB begins a three-game Big West Series at UC Davis.