Brandon Marcelli hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning
to help Fresno State to a 7-5 win over Cal State Fullerton in a nonconference
baseball game at Pete Beiden Field in Fresno Friday night.
The Bulldogs, who were outscored by the Titans, 32-5, in a three-game
sweep in Fresno last year, improved to 12-14. Fullerton failed in its
fourth bid to move above .500, dropping to 12-13 on the season.
Fresno's Michael Cooper allowed all five Titan runs in six innings to
earn the win and improve to 2-3. Preseason All-American Jason Windsor
was touched for a career-high seven runs in 7.2 innings and took the loss
to fall to 1-3.
Fullerton put its first two runners on in the top of the ninth, but reliever
Jacob Ball retired Ronnie Prettyman on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt
attempt and Matt Garza came on to strike out Kurt Suzuki and Danny Dorn
to register his third save.
The Bulldogs erupted for four runs in the bottom of the second. After
Windsor issued an uncharacteristic leadoff walk, he went on to give up
four hits in the frame, including a two-run double by Nick Moresi.
Fullerton crept back to make it a 4-3 game thanks to a two-run homer by
Kurt Suzuki in the third and a monstrous solo shot by P.J. Pilittere in
the fourth that bounced off the light tower behind the left field wall.
But the Bulldogs flexed their muscles in the fifth, when Marcelli blasted
a three-run homer -- just the second Windsor has allowed this season --
to right-center field.
Back-to-back doubles by Blake Davis and Justin Turner to start the seventh
gave Fullerton its fourth run and chased Fresno starter Michael Cooper.
Ronnie Prettyman's RBI-groundout to shortstop scored Turner later in the
inning to narrow the Bulldogs' lead to 7-5.
Windsor -- who needed just three pitches to put down the Bulldogs in the
seventh inning -- came one out away from his third complete game of the
season. Mike Martinez came on for the last out of the eighth.
Titan Coach George Horton, assistant coach Rick Vanderhook and catcher
Kurt Suzuki were all ejected by home plate umpire Chad McCardell in the
loss.
Fullerton will try to even the series when the two teams meet on Saturday
at 1:05 p.m.
