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Cal State Fullerton’s freshman infielder Hank Lo Forte completes the out at second in the Titans’ final game against the UC Davis Aggies on Sunday. The Titans dominated throughout the weekend, taking the three-game series sweep over the Aggies to improve their overall record to 21-13.
(Patrick Do/Daily Titan Stock Photo)
After its sweep of the UC Davis Aggies, the Cal State Fullerton baseball team is preparing for a single road game at Cal State Bakersfield on Tuesday.
The Titans (21-13 overall, 7-2 Big West) go into the contest ranked No. 43 in the NCAA RPI rating.
Last year against Bakersfield, the Titans were routed 14-1 at Hardt Field. Josh Vargas recorded three hits in four at-bats and Tyler Stieb went one-for-four with the only RBI of the day.
The Titans burned through six pitchers in the blowout. Connor Seabold started on the mound, but gave up four hits and four runs until he was replaced by Maxwell Gibbs in the second inning.
Thus far in the 2016 season, the Titans trail UC Santa Barbara (24-7 overall, 5-1 Big West) for first place in the Big West standings and are one game ahead of Hawaii (17-17 overall, 6-3 Big West).
Tanner Pinkston, who was listed as the Big West Conference Field Player of the Week on Monday, is the first Titan baseball player to earn a Big West field player award this season.The senior infielder boasts a .320 batting average, with 41 hits, two home runs and 24 RBIs. He ranks third on the team in on-base percentage with .403 and leads the team in runs scored with 29.
Besides freshman catcher Jake Pavletich, who has a perfect 1.000 batting average with one hit on one at-bat, Dalton Blaser leads the Titans with a .345 batting average and .447 on-base percentage. The senior outfielder struts a solid 38 hits on 110 at-bats. He has scored more runs than he has strikeouts with 13 and 10, respectively.
Junior shortstop Timmy Richards follows in the offensive standings, as he sports a .271 average and .365 on-base percentage. In addition, he has 32 hits on 118 at-bats and leads the team in home runs with five.
Among starting pitchers, Seabold (4-2) has a team-leading 1.97 ERA. He has given up just 10 runs, all earned, in 45.2 innings pitched. In six starts and nine appearances, the righty has given up just 31 hits and five walks.
Freshman Colton Eastman is next among starters with a 2.41 ERA. He has given up 39 hits and 14 earned runs in a team-leading 52.1 innings pitched.
In the other dugout, Bakersfield bats a solid .264 as a team led by Dustin Frailey, who has batted an excellent .407 in 113 at-bats and a team-leading 46 hits.
Although Bakersfield’s bats are worthy of notice, its pitching is lackluster, featuring a 6.12 ERA amongst total pitchers. Andrew Hansen, who leads the team in starts, also has a team-leading 5.09 ERA for its regular starters.
In search for their fourth consecutive win, the Titans travel to Cal State Bakersfield for a single away game against the Roadrunners at Hardt Field on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
