Mustangs Score 7-2 Win Over No. 5/8 Cal State Fullerton

Thursday, April 21

6 pm

17-16, 7-3

Cal State Fullerton

27-10, 8-2

Cal State Fullerton

Cal Poly

Mustangs Score 7-2 Win Over No. 5/8 Cal State Fullerton

4/21/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Junior right-hander Mason Radeke earned his first career complete game, scattering 10 hits with eight strikeouts, as Cal Poly opened its Big West Conference baseball series against No. 5/8 Cal State Fullerton with a 7-2 victory Thursday night before 1,131 in Baggett Stadium.

Radeke (6-1) allowed single runs in the first and fifth innings, lowering his ERA to 2.42. Cal State Fullerton produced at least one hit in each of the first six innings before Radeke, who threw 138 pitches, retired 10 of the last 11 Titan batters in the game for his sixth victory.

With the win – Cal Poly's fifth against the Titans in their last 13 meetings – Coach Larry Lee's Mustangs extended their winning streak to a season-high six straight and improved to 17-16 overall and 7-3 in Big West games.

Cal Poly is 4-1 against top-25 teams this season and Radeke is 4-0 in Big West starts.

Cal State Fullerton, which had won six straight and 19 of its last 21 games, fell to 27-10 and 8-2.

Each team scored a run in the first inning. Cal State Fullerton is now 15-2 in games in which it scores in the first inning while Cal Poly is now 2-9 when it allows the opposition to score in the first frame.

Right fielder Tyler Pill singled to center field to drive in the Titan run in the top of the first inning and second baseman Denver Chavez (pictured above) belted his first career college home run, driving an 0-1 pitch over the wall down the left-field line in the bottom of the first for Cal Poly.

The Mustangs erupted for four runs in the fourth to shatter the 1-1 deadlock.

Left fielder Jimmy Allen doubled down the left-field line to drive in the first two runs and center fielder Bobby Crocker singled off the glove of Cal State Fullerton second baseman Richy Pedroza to knock in the third tally. First baseman Matt Jensen singled through the left side of the Titan infield to give Cal Poly a 5-1 advantage.

Pedroza, who recently missed eight games with a shoulder injury and twice was a pinch-hitter in last week's UC Santa Barbara series, reinjured the shoulder while diving for Crocker's grounder up the middle and was replaced at second base by Matt Orloff. Pedroza is one of the top Titan hitters with a .362 average.

Cal State Fullerton also was without usual series-opening starting pitcher Noe Ramirez, a first-team All-Big West selection last season who has a 6-2 record and 2.04 ERA this year. Ramirez sprained an ankle during practice Tuesday and is sidelined for the series.

Each team scored a run in the fifth. Shortstop Anthony Trajano singled to left to knock in the Titan run while designated hitter DJ Gentile doubled to open the Mustang fifth, took third on Chris Hoo's sacrifice bunt and came home on a suicide squeeze bunt by Evan Busby for a 6-2 cushion.

Cal Poly added its final run in the seventh as right fielder Mitch Haniger doubled down the left-field line and scored on shortstop J.J. Thompson's single down the right-field line.

With his two singles, Thompson produced another multiple-hit game, his 14th in his last 21 starts. His batting average, just .158 seven games into the season, has improved almost 200 points to .355.

Busby singled to go along with his squeeze bunt, driving in a pair of runs for the Mustangs. Each of Cal Poly's nine batters in the game recorded at least one hit.

Hits were even at 10 apiece. Pill and catcher Jared Deacon both collected a pair of hits for Cal State Fullerton.

With Ramirez unable to pitch Thursday night, junior southpaw David Hurlbut got the start on the mound for the Titans. A transfer from Diablo Valley College, Hurlbut (2-1) allowed five runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings in suffering the loss.

Christian Coronado, a freshman right-hander with a 7.36 ERA, restored some order on the mound for the Titans, allowing two runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings with no walks and three strikeouts.

The Mustangs played without their leading hitter, shortstop Mike Miller with his Big West-leading .374 average, due to illness.

Second game of the series will be played Friday night at 6 in Baggett Stadium, with Cal Poly to start senior right-hander Steven Fischback (3-2, 4.11 ERA) on the mound against Cal State Fullerton junior right-hander Colin O'Connell (5-2, 2.59 ERA).

O'Connell is the reigning Big West pitcher of the week after picking up two wins last week. He struck out 13 and allowed seven hits in 11 1/3 innings in wins over Loyola Marymount and UC Santa Barbara.

The series finale is Saturday at 1 o'clock.