Titans Beat Gauchos in Series Opener, 7-2

Renken Just Misses One-Hit Shutout

	Daniel Renken's 146th pitch went for a 2-run double with two out in the ninth.

May 1, 2009

Box Score

Fullerton, Calif. - Jared Clark and Khris Davis each drove in a pair of runs and Daniel Renken just missed his first career shutout Friday night as Cal State Fullerton beat UC Santa Barbara, 7-2, in a Big West Conference game.

Renken (6-2) took a 1-hit shutout into the ninth but Ryan Ackland had to get the final out after John DeAlba's two-out, two-run double. Renken equalled his career high with 10 strikeouts.

The Titans improved to 30-12 overall and 10-6 in the Big West and handed UCSB starter Joe Gardner (6-1) his first loss, dropping the Gauchos to 23-16, 6-7.

Fullerton won its 30th game of the season for the 35th time in the program's 35-year history and improved to 11-8 at Goodwin Field.

The Titans took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning. With one out, Gary Brown beat out an infield hit, moved up on a ground out and scored on a fly-ball double into the left-field corner by Clark. Davis' line-drive single to left scored Clark.

Fullerton broke open the game with four runs in the third. Brown was hit by a pitch and stole second before Josh Fellhauer walked. Clark singled home Brown and Davis singled home Fellhauer. Jeff Newman popped up a sacrifice attempt but Gardner's wild pitch moved the runners up and both scored on a single to center by Dustin Garneau.

Renken surrendered his first hit in the third inning when Marty Mullins led off with a triple to centerfield. Fellhauer took two steps in before retreating in a futile attempt to catch a drive well over his head. Renken then struck out the next three hitters. He walked a pair in the fourth but a 3-6-1 double play got him out of the inning unscathed. In the ninth he hit Brian Gump and walked Eric Oliver on a 3-2 pitch. He got the next two outs but DeAlba hit a 3-1 pitch to deep left center that eluded a diving Fellhauer.

The Gauchos got Ryan Cavan to third with one out in the seventh after a walk and two wild pitches but Renken struck out DeAlba and retired Shane Carlson on a fly ball to left. Renken threw a total of 146 pitches.

Gardner settled down and faced only two men over the minimum in the fourth through seventh innings, surrendering two singles and a walk. Clayton Edwards pitched the eighth and surrendered an unearned run as third baseman Cavan made two errors and Joe Scott delivered Jeff Newman with a sacrifice fly.

The probable pitchers Saturday night at 6 p.m. are righthander Noe Ramirez (5-1) for the Titans against lefthander Mario Hollands (4-4).