Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. -- Senior catcher Izaak Silva tied a career high with four hits and drove in a pair of runs for UC Davis, but visiting Cal State Fullerton broke open a one-run game with four runs in the middle innings, lifting the Titans to a 10-6 win over the Aggies on Saturday afternoon at Dobbins Stadium.

UC Davis fell to 20-12-1 overall and 4-4 in Big West Conference play, while Fullerton improved to 18-15 overall and 5-3 in league. The two teams meet in the rubber game of the series on Sunday afternoon (April 12) at 1 p.m.

A wild first inning saw both teams jump out quickly against the other's respective starters as four straight hits out of the gate and an RBI groundout gave the Titans a 3-0 lead. The Aggies answered quickly as a double by Tino Lipson and an error on the ensuing throw put him at third to lead-off the frame, and the senior would score two batters later when Nick Lynch tripled to the gap in right center to make it 3-1.

Austin March followed with a run-scoring ground ball to the right side and UC Davis tied the game after Silva singled and scored on Spencer Henderson's one-hop double to the wall in right field to make it 3-3.

Fullerton quickly got the runs back in the second on Josh Estill's three-run home run, but the Aggies absorbed the blow and countered with two of their own in the third as Tanner Bily walked, was safe at second on a fielder's choice by Lynch, and both moved up into scoring position on a wild pitch. That brought up Silva, who bounced a ball back through the box to score both, making it 6-5.

Three straight sacrifice flies in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, extended the Titans' lead, and Josh Vargas made it 10-5 with an RBI single in the seventh. UC Davis got one of the runs back in the seventh as Bily led-off with his first home run of the year to left field to cap the scoring.

The Aggies weren't done, however, mounting a final two-out rally in the ninth, jumpstarted by a fly ball double down the line by March. Silva followed with a single through the right side, and UC Davis loaded the bases when pinch-hitter Mason Novak drew a full-count walk off Titans' closer Tyler Peitzmeier after falling behind 0-2 in the count.

Fullerton wriggled off the hook as Peitzmeier struck out the next batter he faced to end the game and nail down his 12th save of the year.

Raul Jacobson (3-2) suffered the loss for the Aggies, striking out four in 4.1 innings of work. Matt Blais pitched well in relief, allowing just three hits in three innings, while Henderson came on to pitch 1.2 shutout innings while striking out one.

Justin Garza (3-2) earned the win despite allowing five runs on seven hits, as four relievers combined to hold UC Davis to just four hits and a single run over the final four frames.

Silva finished with three singles and a double as eight of the nine Aggie starters collected hits -- five of the team's 11 hits going for extra bases. Josh Vargas was 4-for-4 to lead the Titans.