Score: UC Davis 7, Cal State Fullerton 6
Location: Fullerton, Calif. (Goodwin Field)
Records: UC Davis 21-24 (10-15 Big West), Cal State Fullerton 21-23 (13-9 Big West)
THE SHORT STORY: UC Davis erased an early four-run deficit with a five-run seventh inning to outlast Cal State Fullerton 7-6 on Friday night at Goodwin Field, taking the opener of the Big West weekend series. Trailing 5-1 entering the seventh, the Aggies sent eight to the plate behind a
Braydon Wooldridge RBI double, a
Tyler Howard bases-loaded RBI walk, a wild-pitch run and
Kai Mault's two-RBI single up the middle to flip the score 6-5.
Mason Lerma (4-2) earned the win in relief, and
Rowen Barnes recorded his ninth save of the season with a scoreless, two-strikeout ninth.
LEADING OFF
- Wooldridge finished 3-for-4 with an RBI double, scored a run and opened the seventh-inning rally
- Mault drove in a game-high three runs on a two-RBI single in the seventh and a sacrifice fly that scored Howard in the ninth
- Lerma (4-2) earned the win after two innings of relief, allowing one run on one hit with three strikeouts on 33 pitches
- Barnes locked down his ninth save of the season with a scoreless ninth, fanning two on 11 pitches
- Valdez tossed six innings with a season-high-tying eight strikeouts on 97 pitches, working through 10 hits in his start
- Howard scored three of UC Davis's seven runs and drew a bases-loaded RBI walk in the seventh
- Murphy added a 1-for-5 night with an RBI double to right field in the fourth
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Cal State Fullerton broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third on Pernia Contreras' RBI single and Cameron Kim's RBI single to left center for a 2-0 lead.
- UC Davis cut the deficit in the fourth when Murphy doubled to right field to score Howard, making it a 2-1 game.
- Cal State Fullerton answered in the bottom of the fourth on a Carter O'Hara RBI single and a Contreras sacrifice fly to push the lead to 4-1, then added one more in the fifth on Hunter Meyer's RBI single to make it 5-1.
- The Aggies however would not go down without a fight.
- UC Davis responded by erupting for a five-run seventh.
- Wooldridge opened with an RBI double to right center to score Lee, Howard drew a bases-loaded RBI walk that brought in Wooldridge, Wright scored from third on a wild pitch, and Mault followed with a two-RBI single up the middle to plate Howard and pinch hitter Korey Williams for a 6-5 UC Davis lead.
- Cal State Fullerton tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when Kim scored on a wild pitch.
- UC Davis reclaimed the lead in the top of the ninth as Howard scored on a Mault sacrifice fly that was misplayed in left field for a 7-6 lead.
- Barnes set the side down in order in the bottom of the ninth, recording two strikeouts to secure the win and his ninth save of the season.
UP NEXT
UC Davis returns to action Saturday in game two of the Big West series at Cal State Fullerton, with first pitch set for 5 p.m. at Goodwin Field.
