College Baseball : Fresno State Beats Titans on Gardner’s Six-Hitter

Mark Gardner, a senior right-hander, pitched a six-hitter Friday night to lead Fresno State to a 3-1 win over Cal State Fullerton in Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. game played on Beiden Field at Fresno.

The Bulldogs, who lead the PCAA’s Northern Division, improved their conference record to 10-3. Fullerton, which is in second place in the PCAA’s Southern Division, is 8-4.

Gardner struck out seven and was in control all the way. Fullerton got its only run in the fifth inning when Shane Turner got an infield single with the bases loaded to extend his hitting streak to 19 games.

Fresno took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Joe Xavier hit a solo home run to right field off losing pitcher Dion Beck.

An error by Beck led to an unearned run in the fifth. Xavier, leading off the inning, reached third base when Beck picked up his roller in front of the plate and threw the ball down the right-field line. Bob Bafia’s sacrifice fly scored Xavier to make it 2-0.

After the Titans scored in the fifth to cut the Fresno lead to 2-1, the Bulldogs got an insurance run in the sixth to make it 3-1. Bafia walked and went to second on a balk. Two outs later, Ken Rollan singled him home.

The teams play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. today.

In California Collegiate Athletic Assn. action:

Cal State Dominguez Hills 11, Chapman 3--The Toros improved their conference record to 5-2 and overall record to 16-13 by routing the Panthers (3-4, 13-12) at Hart Park in Orange.

Dominguez Hills shortstop Mike Perryman, center fielder Ramiro Saldana and third baseman Fred Hanker each drove in three runs as Dominguez Hills handed Chapman starter Mark Bradley (3-1) the defeat. Mike Strong (2-0) got the win. The teams play a noon doubleheader today at Dominguez Hills.