Titans Keep Rolling With Rally Against Nevada

Shawn Norris singled in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Cal State Fullerton rallied from an early deficit to beat Nevada, 8-5, in a Big West Conference baseball game Saturday afternoon at Fullerton.

The Titans had to overcome a one-man show by Wolf Pack catcher Matt Ortiz, who hit two home runs and drove in all five runs.

Ortiz hit a three-run homer off Fullerton starter Jon Smith in the third inning to give Nevada (30-17, 14-9) a 4-1 lead. He hit another home run in the sixth to give the Wolf Pack a 5-3 lead.

But the Titans chased Nevada starter Matthew Rainer in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Matt Belfanti and Jeff Gates hit consecutive singles. After a walk to Aaron Rifkin, Belfanti scored on a passed ball. Pinch-hitter Jason Corapci’s infield single drove in the tying run before Norris gave the Titans the lead with a single to right field. David Bacani, who had three RBIs, singled in two more runs off Bryan Schultz, who came in to get the final two outs.

Rifkin hit his eighth home run, his first in more than a month, in the second inning for Fullerton (30-15, 17-6), which improved to 5-0 against Nevada this season.

Smith (8-2), who gave up six hits and all five runs, pitched seven innings, before Kirk Saarloos finished for his fifth save.

The first-place Titans, who have won eight of their last nine games, remained two games ahead of second-place Long Beach State and moved three games ahead of Nevada. The series with the Wolf Pack concludes at 1 p.m. today.

In another Big West game:

Long Beach State 11, Pacific 4--Chuck Lopez went four for four with two runs and two RBIs for host Long Beach (28-20, 15-8). Bobby Crosby, Robert Womack and Chris Wright had two hits each for the 49ers.