No. 24 Cal State Fullerton (2-1) erased a 5-3, ninth-inning deficit by scoring three runs in their final turn at the plate in a 6-5 victory over UVA in the finale of the MLB4 Collegiate Baseball Tournament at Salt River Fields. The late inning lead was the only time the Titans led all evening.
Fullerton’s Daniel Cope was credited with the go-ahead RBI on a slow chopper with the bases loaded, fielded deep in the hole by Cavalier shortstop Tanner Morris (Crozet, Va.). The Titans were able to tie the game two batters earlier on a sacrifice fly to left field. The relay throw from Cayman Richardson (Mechanicsville, Va.) and Zack Gelof (Rehoboth Beach, Del.) was in time at the plate by Fullerton’s Jacob Pavletich slid under the tag to make the score 5-5.
Cavalier starting pitcher Noah Murdock (Colonial Heights, Va.) took the tough luck, no-decision after turning in his fifth career quality start and first since the 2017 season. Murdock sat down the first eight batters he faced, including three-straight strikeouts between the second and third innings. He pitched six innings, gave up three earned runs and struck out five batters.
At the plate, Morris went 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. The second-year gave the Cavaliers their first lead of the weekend, scoring from third base on an errant throw by Fullerton second baseman Hank LaForte in the bottom of the first inning. He later singled home Nic Kent (Charlottesville, Va.) to cap a three-run fourth inning for the Cavaliers.
The 4-0 Cavalier lead was short lived as the Titans responded with three runs of their own in the top of the fifth to pull within a run. Senior Jack Weiller (Katonah, N.Y.) provided the Cavaliers with some insurance in the bottom half of the seventh inning with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly that scored Brendan Rivoli (Douglassville, Pa.) to make the score 5-3.
Rivoli finished the night 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored and is now 5-for-13 in his first three games of the 2019 season.
The Cavaliers return to Disharoon Park on Wednesday (Feb. 20) for the home opener against VMI. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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Chris Graham
