FULLERTON, Calif. --- It was a pitchers' duel and UC Irvine struck first but could not hold off No. 4 Cal State Fullerton in a 5-2 loss Friday at Goodwin Field.
Andrew Thurman got into early trouble, walking the first and third Titan batters in the bottom of the first but struck out J.D. Davis and grounded out Michael Lorenzen to leave two stranded. Following the walk of Matt Chapman, Thurman retired 13 straight batters before walking Jake Jeffries in the fifth. The right-hander would hold the Titans hitless through six while walking a season-high four.
UC Irvine broke the scoreless tie with two outs in the sixth. Dominique Taylor hit a clean single to left center to start the rally. Connor Spencer followed by flaring an 0-2 pitch to left for a hit. Outfielder Anthony Hutting, charging on the play, attempted to knock the ball down with his glove but stumbled and caused the ball to bounce away for him, allowing Taylor to score on what would be ruled a straight double by Spencer. Taylor Sparks followed with a bad-hop single past third baseman Matt Chapman to plate Spencer for the 2-0 lead.
The Titans broke up Thurman's no-hitter in the seventh as Lorenzen led off the frame with a single. Lorenzen was erased on Hutting's fielder's choice but Chad Wallach doubled to center to put CSF on the board and following a walk to Austin Jefferies, Richy Pedroza singled to right field to tie the game at two runs apiece. Thurman gave way to Mitch Merten, who engaged in a 14-pitch battle with Carlos Lopez, but gave up a two-out RBI single, scoring Jefferies for the go-ahead run. Merten then hit Chapman with the pitch and took J.D. Davis to a full-count before the designated hitter hit a blooper over the head of Rabago for a two-run single to widen the margin to 5-2.
UCI rallied and put runners on first and second with one out in the eighth but reliever Tyler Peitzmeier gave way to Lorenzen, who retired the final two batters of the eighth and would set down the side in the ninth for his 17th save.
Thurman fell to 5-4 after giving up four runs on just three hits and striking out eight. Merten allowed a run in 1/3 innings while Jimmy Litchfield pitched a perfect eighth.
Spencer drove in a run on two hits while Taylor was 2 for 4 at the plate.
Eshelman picked up his 10th victory to climb to 10-2 after logging seven innings and holding UCI to two runs on six hits and striking out seven.
The series continues Saturday at 6:00 p.m.
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