CSU Fullerton drops first game of Super Regional to Washington

It was a classic situation of too little, too late.

Cal State Fullerton dropped its first game on the pursuit to the College World Series in an 8-5 slugfest to the University of Washington Friday.

After jumping out to an early lead in the bottom of the first on a Daniel Cope RBI double that brought home Hank LoForte, who extended his on-base streak to 43, the Titans defense let them down.

https://twitter.com/BaseballTitans/status/1005153685528195072

The Huskies were able to capitalize on five errors to push across a flurry of runs during the three hour and 53 minute marathon, at one point leading by as many as four. In the seventh, the Titans' offense surged, pushing across three runs to make it a 6-5 game, but they were not able to take advantage of a bases loaded two-out situation in the 8th as Cope grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Washington pushed across two insurance runs in the ninth to seal the 8-5 victory.

https://twitter.com/FullertonTitans/status/1005210649121574912

Fullerton will now be tasked with winning back-to-back games to survive the best-of-three series and advance to Omaha, a situation they are all too familiar with. The Titans dropped Game 1 of last season's Super Regional to Long Beach State before stringing together consecutive wins to advance.

Fullerton will begin its quest of repeating history with Game 2 Saturday at 3:30p.