May 16, 2008

Box Score

Fullerton, Calif. - Josh Fellhauer had a four-hit night and Erik Komatsu drove in three as No. 8 Cal State Fullerton rolled over San Diego State 10-3 Friday night in non-conference baseball action at Goodwin Field. With the victory, Cal State Fullerton logs its ninth straight series win and 11th overall to improve to 34-17 on the year. San Diego State dips to 30-25.

Titan starter Daniel Renken picked up his first win in his last four starts and evened his record at 5-5 with a 5.1 inning effort. Nate Solow (5-7) was tagged with the loss after surrendering four runs on seven hits in his four innings on the hill.

Renken was dominant for the first five innings of the game facing just two batters over the minimum. Through five, the freshman right-hander allowed just two single and struck out eight before running into trouble in the sixth.

In the sixth, the Aztecs strung together five hits in six batters, scoring three times to cut the Titan lead to 6-3. Back-to-back doubles by Brandon Glover and Pat Colwell plated the first run, then RBI-singles by Troy Hanzawa and Garett Green knocked Renken from the game.

Relievers Travis Kelly and Ryan Ackland combined for three-hit shutout baseball over the final 3.2 innings to secure the win for Renken.

After manufacturing a run in the first, Fullerton plated three more in the bottom of the third starting with a Josh Fellhauer home run. Fellhauer drove the 3-1 Solow offering over the centerfield wall for his sixth homer of the season. Christian Colon followed with a double, Brian Wilson walked and then Jared Clark and Gary Brown singled, with each driving in a run to give the Titans a comfortable 4-0 lead. Brown's chopper that got through the left side of the infield, extended his team-high hitting streak to eight games.

Fullerton scored two runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings off relievers J. R. Murphy (2 runs) and Shane Kaufman (4 runs) to put the game out of reach. Joel Weeks picked up RBIs in the fifth and sixth innings, while Komatsu drove home two with a triple in the seventh.

Fullerton collected eight extra-base hits on the evening (6 doubles, a triple and a home run) with Fellhauer missing "the cycle" by a triple as he jumped his average back up over .370.

Colon, Komatsu, Clark, Brown and Weeks all picked up a pair of hits for Fullerton in addition to Fellhauer's 4-for-6 night. Hanzawa led the charge for San Diego State with three hits, while Cowell followed with two.

The series finale will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Cory Arbiso will be on the mound for Cal State Fullerton. The Aztecs have not announced a starter. Prior to Saturday's game, the Titans will honor their departing seniors with a pre-game ceremony.

NOTES: San Diego State's Martelli got a pinch-hit opportunity in the ninth inning on Thursday, flying out to left for the second out of the inning. Martelli was a bat boy and a good luck charm for the Titans in 1995 as the team's bat boy. The young Martelli even traveled to Omaha, a trip that resulted in the Titans eventually winning their third national championship against USC. Martelli is just 1-for-15 for the Aztecs in nine games this year.