CSF Media Release
Los Angeles – Michael Morrison tossed six innings of one-hit ball and Khris Davis homered, doubled and drove in two as Cal State Fullerton (16-9) snapped Loyola Marymount’s (16-12) five-game winning streak with a 8-2 non-conference win Tuesday afternoon at Page Stadium.
Morrison (1-1) flirted with a no-hitter for six-plus innings though it didn’t come easy. The right-hander walked four and retired the side just once in earning the win. Morrison came out for the seventh inning with the no-hitter still in tact, but issued a leadoff double to Ryan Wheeler and was promptly lifted for reigning Big West Pitcher of the Week, Adam Jorgenson.
Jorgenson came on to get the first hitter he faced, but walked the eight and nine hitters to load the bases with just one out. The junior right-hander then induced fly balls by AJ La Monda and Kyle Spraker to end the Lions’ first threat.
Fullerton scored four unanswered runs off losing pitcher Nate Keadle (0-3) in the first four innings posting a pair in both the first and fourth innings. Corey Jones got the Titans on the board with a two-out, two-run double into right in the top of the first. His hard-hit ball into the corner drove home Christian Colon who walked, and Jared Clark who singled.
Khris Davis blasted his third home run of the year off Keadle to lead off the fourth then a two-out, RBI-double off the blue “monster” wall in left by Josh Fellhauer and a walk to Colon knocked Keadle from the game.
Lee Roberts was perfect for 3.1 innings of relief of Keadle, retiring all nine hitters he faced also picking off Josh Fellhauer to close out the fourth.
After Davis extended the Titan lead to 5-0 with an RBI-line drive that split the right-center gap in the top of the eighth, LMU finally got on the board in the bottom half.
Andy Preston doubled to left to lead off the Lion eighth against Jorgenson and scored two batters later as Ollie Enos doubled up the middle by a diving Colon and Gary Brown. Ryan Wheeler went with a Jorgenson offering and drove home the last run off the Titan staff with a single to left, cutting the lead to 5-2.
Fullerton added three insurance runs in the ninth, two on a Colon triple to left-center off reliever Xavier Esquivel, and the other on an Esquivel wild pitch.
Jason Dovel struck out the side in the ninth including his brother, Sean, one of three Lion pinch-hitters in the frame.
Fullerton, winners of seven of their last eight games, will return to Big West Conference action this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at UC Irvine. Game times are 6 p.m., 5 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
