LONG BEACH, Calif. (Interstat) — Mikiah Negrete was nearly untouchable, and Cal State Fullerton’s offense provided more than enough support in a 10-0 rout of Long Beach State on Friday night at Blair Field in the opener of a three-game Big West Conference series.

Negrete, the Titans’ starting pitcher, delivered a dominant performance, carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh inning before being lifted. The right-hander pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing no hits, walking one and striking out five. He faced just two batters over the minimum, with a hit batsman and a fielding error representing the only Dirtbags to reach base against him.

The most important part of the game was the immediate and overwhelming offensive onslaught by the Titans, which rendered the outcome a foregone conclusion by the middle innings. Cal State Fullerton sent 10 batters to the plate in a five-run first inning against Long Beach State starter Anderson, who recorded only one out before being chased. Nick Miller singled and scored on an RBI single by Thomas. Andrew Kirchner added a bunt RBI single, and a bases-loaded walk to Lombardi forced in another run. The final run of the inning crossed on a passed ball.

The Titans continued the barrage in the second, adding four more runs to build a 9-0 lead. Miller singled again and scored on an RBI double by Cameron Kim. Thomas followed with another run-scoring single, and Lombardi lifted a sacrifice fly. The fourth run of the frame scored on a fielding error by Long Beach State right fielder Smaka.

Miller was a catalyst all night for Fullerton, finishing a perfect 4 for 4 with a walk, a hit by pitch, a double and four runs scored. Paul Contreras provided the exclamation point in the third inning, launching a two-run homer to deep left field off reliever Ka’imi Kahalekai to extend the lead to 10-0. Contreras finished with two RBIs.

Kahalekai provided the only sustained resistance for the Dirtbags after the early exit, logging 5 2/3 innings of relief. He allowed four hits and two earned runs while striking out seven, but the game was already out of reach.

Long Beach State’s offense was silenced completely. The Dirtbags managed just five hits, all singles except for a ninth-inning double by Toomey, and never advanced a runner past second base until the final frame. After Negrete departed, Titans relievers Dylan Nieto and Joseph Jasso each pitched a perfect inning to close out the combined five-hit shutout. Jasso struck out the side in the ninth.

With the victory, Cal State Fullerton evened its overall record at 15-15 and improved its conference mark. Long Beach State fell to 10-22. The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat, which had simulated a narrow 4-3 Titans victory and gave Fullerton a 53.6% probability to win.

The two teams are scheduled to continue the series Saturday and Sunday at Blair Field.