Beach Come Back to Win 7-5 May 26, 2002 LONG BEACH, CA- No. 26-ranked Long Beach State (37-19, 17-7 BWC) made a strong showing to end the season, winning their final seven contests and nine of their last 11, in sweeping arch rival No. 15-ranked CS Fullerton (36-20, 14-10 BWC), winning on Sunday, 7-5. Tim Hutting came through with a two-strike, two-run single--one of four hits on the afternoon--off of Friday's starter Wes Littleton, leading LBSU to a comeback in the eighth inning after the Titans had taken the lead, 4-3. The Beach ended up scoring four runs in the eighth to lead 7-4. Jeremy Reed followed Hutting with a sacrifice fly before Nick Covarrubias added an RBI single to lead 7-4. Darric Merrell (7-4) who lasted into the seventh inning (7.1 innings), gave up the 49ers first five runs, leaving with two on and one out in the eighth. One of those runners, Todd Jennings reached base due to a costly error from third baseman Chris Klosterman. Of the four runs scored in the eighth, only one was earned. Carlos Muniz (3-1), who got the final two outs in the eighth, picked up the win after giving up the go-ahead run off the bat of David Fischer. Fischer's two-run single to give the Titans a 4-3 lead. Josh Alliston came on in the ninth for his sixth save. Jered Weaver had his streak of 19 scoreless innings snapped snapped in the seventh, giving up two runs. Weaver went 7.1 innings giving up four runs on six hits over 7.1 innings. Paul McAnulty, who went 1-for-3 extended his hit streak to 17 games. Edgar Varela made his first start after two separate hand injuries kept him out of the lineup following the first weekend of the season. Varela played two innings of defense at Pepperdine on April 3, before re-injuring his hand for the second time. It was believed to be the first time in series history that The Beach had swept the Titans at home, it was also the first time the Titans were swept on the road during conference play since 1989. With the Titans 14-10 finish and Cal Poly's 15-9 conference, CSF finished in fourth place for only the third time since joining the league in 1975. It is also their lowest finish since 1996, when they also finished fourth. NCAA Regionals will be announced on Monday at 9:30 a.m. on ESPN2. Regionals begin May 31.
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