Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. -- Four UC Davis pitchers combined to scatter seven hits and the host Aggies scored three times in the first five innings, hanging on to defeat visiting Cal State Fullerton, 3-2, in the opener of a three-game Big West Conference series on Friday afternoon at Dobbins Stadium.

The Aggies improved to 20-11-1 overall and 4-3 in league play, defeating the Titans for the first time at home in 16 chances in the history of the series between the two programs, while winning for only the fourth time in the 31 games between the two squads. Fullerton fell to 17-15 overall and 4-3 in conference, mounting a late rally before coming up just shy.

Senior right-hander Spencer Koopmans (3-3) stymied the Titan bats, allowing just one run on two hits while pitching into the sixth to earn in the win. He retired nine consecutive batters at one point before giving way to Blake Peters, who escaped a runners at second and third situation in the sixth and allowed a run in the seventh in 1 2/3 innings of work.

Nat Hamby came in from the bullpen got the last out of the seventh, stranding the bases full of Titans, before sophomore right-hander Zach Stone talled his seventh save of the year, giving up two hits and striking out three over two innings, one of those coming with the tying run at third to end the game.

Thomas Eshelman (3-4) suffered the loss, going the distance while allowing three runs on eight hits and striking out two.

After going down in order in the home half of the first, UC Davis got on the board with a run in the second, cashing in a lead-off single by Austin March. Izaak Silva moved his teammate into scoring position with a bunt and March would score when Spencer Henderson laced a single into centerfield for the 1-0 lead.

The Aggies made it 3-0 with a pair in the fifth, leading off the inning with a single by Brad Pluschkell, who moved to second on a sacrifce by Evan Heptig and scored when Tino Lipson rolled a ball back up the middle for the 2-0 lead. Lipson moved to second with two outs when Nick Lynch was hit by a pitch, then came around to score the difference-maker as March singled to center for the 3-0 advantage.

Fullerton chipped its way back in, taking advantage of some miscues by the UC Davis defense to break up the shutout in the sixth. Timmy Richards walked, moved to second when Koopmans' pick-off went wild, and went to third on a wild pitch. Dustin Vaught brought him home with a single to center making it 3-1.

The Titans made it a one-run game in the seventh, putting runners on the corners with two outs before Vaught came through again, singling to center to plate Tyler Stieb to make it 3-2, but that would be as close as they would get.

March and Tanner Bily, who logged the only extra-base hit of the game with a bouncing double down the left field line in the third, each finished 2-for-4 to pace the Aggies' offense. Stieb (3-for-4), Vaught (2-for-5), and Scott Hurst (2-for-4), accounted for all of Fullerton's seven hits.

The two teams meet in game two on Saturday (April 11) at 1 p.m., with senior right-hander Raul Jacobson scheduled to take the mound for the Aggies against the Titans' Justin Garza.

UC Davis 3, Cal State Fullerton 2 (Apr 10, 2015 at Davis, Calif.)
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Cal State Fullerton. 000 001 100 - 2 7 1 (17-15, 4-3 BIG WEST)
UC Davis............ 010 020 00X - 3 8 1 (20-11-1, 4-3 BIG WEST)
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Pitchers: Cal State Fullerton - Eshelman, Thomas and Kennedy, A.J.; Hudgins, Chris. UC Davis - Koopmans, Spencer; Peters, Blake (6); Hamby, Nat (7); Stone, Zach (8) and Silva, Izaak.
Win- Koopmans, Spencer (3-3) Save- Stone, Zach (7) Loss-Eshelman, Thomas(3-4) T-2:36 A-410
Weather: high 60's, clear
Koopmans faced 2 batters in the 6th.