Jake Epstein and the Cal State Fullerton Titans flexed their muscles while pounding out a 21-12 Big West Conference baseball victory against Nevada on Friday afternoon.
Epstein, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound DH, slammed three homers and drove in seven runs as Fullerton (4-0, 14-7) maintained its hold on first place in the Big West. The Titans hit seven home runs as a team before a crowd of 1,511 at Peccole Park.
The Titans scored six runs in the fifth inning and five more runs in the sixth to take a 16-3 lead. That was enough support for starter Adam Johnson, a preseason All-American pick by Collegiate Baseball, who pitched six innings of four-hit ball, struck out nine and walked three.
Nevada's Chad Qualls lasted 4 innings while allowing 11 runs, four earned, on 11 hits and one walk while striking out four.
Don Price hit 3-for-3 and homered twice with four RBIs for Nevada (18-9, 2-2). His home runs upped his season total to 10 and his career total to 52. He stands just 10 homers away from the Big West record of 62, set by former Wolf Pack Andy Dominique (1994-97).
The two teams will meet for the second game of the three-game series at 1 p.m. today, with Carson High School grad Darrell Rasner on the hill for the Wolf Pack. Sunday's game, originally slated for a 1 p.m. start, was moved to noon to accommodate Cal State Fullerton's flight arrangements.
